Greasy Chicken Feathers

[Palinor]

I'm not sure where to post this. I posted in another section but didn't get any feedback so I'm trying here. Hope thats ok!
I picked up one of my silver laced wyandottes the other day and her feathers seemed a bit greasy. They all (3 of them) act fine, eat fine, look fine. The roll in the dirt and it's mostly red clay. Maybe it's not cleaning the oil off their feathers?
I'm a pretty new chicken owner and I didn't know if this was normal or not. I love my girls and want them to be healthy.

 

[dawg53]

Were the "greasy" feathers under or between her wing(s) and body?

 

[Palinor]

Were the "greasy" feathers under or between her wing(s) and body?

nope. her outer feathers, wings

 

[dawg53]

nope. her outer feathers, wings

Is there any watering or mucus coming from her eyes, nostrils or mouth? Any wheezing or sneezing, gurgling? If so, it would be due to a respiratory disease.
Birds will wipe mucus on their wings.
VERY sick birds will tuck their head under a wing leaving mucus on the side of the body and inner wing.

There's an oil gland on the rump of chickens, at the base of their tail feathers. It looks like a small nipple. Sometimes you'll see them nibbling at their rump. They actually get a bit of oil in their beak, then preen their feathers with the oil. It makes them semi water resistant. Maybe this is what your feeling on her.
My experience though is that it is not noticeable even to the touch.
Perhaps she rubbed herself on something or something in the red clay, not sure.

 

[Palinor]

Is there any watering or mucus coming from her eyes, nostrils or mouth? Any wheezing or sneezing, gurgling? If so, it would be due to a respiratory disease.
Birds will wipe mucus on their wings.
VERY sick birds will tuck their head under a wing leaving mucus on the side of the body and inner wing.

There's an oil gland on the rump of chickens, at the base of their tail feathers. It looks like a small nipple. Sometimes you'll see them nibbling at their rump. They actually get a bit of oil in their beak, then preen their feathers with the oil. It makes them semi water resistant. Maybe this is what your feeling on her.
My experience though is that it is not noticeable even to the touch.
Perhaps she rubbed herself on something or something in the red clay, not sure.

They all act fine and I don't think it's just one, it's all three. My partner said that whichever one he picked up the other day felt greasy as well. I wonder if the clay is exasperating the oil