how does oil gland work?

[princess araucana]

Whenever I see my hens preening themselves and they part their tail feathers to nibble on that oil nub it always makes me giggle!

What are they actually doing? Do they get oil on their beak to help them preen?
Seems like an interesting clever design...

 

[swedishfish]

Wondered why my chickens seem to be 'itching' all the time! haha, thanks! I want to see why they do it too.

 

[EweSheep]

I see that all the time and never could figure out how they get the oil to express on their beaks. It is not like squeezing a tube??????

 

[princess araucana]

yeah, do you think they are getting oil or just stimulating it?
maybe someone who knows more will answer.....

 

[princess araucana]

ok, a little search turned up a very old document that mentions:

"In various species the glands have
from one to five openings (2-8, according to Grass& 1950:285-289), to the
outside through a nipple-like structure which is often covered by a tuft of
specialized feathers. This tuft serves as a brush, functionally elongating the
nipple and aiding in anointing the bill (Schumacher, 1919)."

So maybe it IS like a squeeze tube!!

 

[birdlover]

Once, I had a little crippled black cochin who could not stand nor reach back to his oil gland. Poor little guy had to be put to sleep eventually. By then, it felt like he had TWO tails because the oil gland had filled up so much! So I learned from this experience that it is essential they keep that thing expressed.

 

[swedishfish]

aw, poor little guy. And somehow this oil gland seems like a toothpaste bottle.