Is Gerty dirty or sick?

[vinita1980]

Hello - My chicken Gertrude (~2.5 year old Columbian Wyandotte) has had a drooping tail for a few weeks. She hasn't stopped laying or eating, but she has spent a lot more time lying down than our other hens. She still comes running for food and her comb and waddle look normal. We took a look and thought she's just been weighed down because she had a lot of poop around her vent area.

We gave her a bath today (the second since we noticed her drooping tail) and noticed some white soft and grainy substances around the base of her feathers near her vent once we washed her (pictures of this too).

Is she just dirty, or do you think she has mites or thrush or something? If she's just dirty, how can we help to prevent this from happening later? What can we do to take care of it? The other 3 hens seem unaffected. Do we need to worry about them?

Thanks!


PICTURES (WARNING: If you're squeamish, there are a few poop pics in case it's important.)

Tail is down




Dirty feathers around vent - pre bath



Poop around vent - pre bath






Post bath - are the white things near her feathers signs of something?



Close up of remnants from around feathers

Another view near vent post bath



Comb and waddle appear normal

 

[Wyorp Rock]

It's hard to tell, but it may be nits from poultry lice/mites.

You can treat her with Poultry Dust. Clean out your coop and treat it as well. Then repeat in 7days, to kill any that hatch. (Some people repeat a couple of times).

She she has been a little droopy, make sure she is eating and drinking well. Offer her some vitamins in her water for a couple of days and extra protein like egg, tuna, mackerel or meat.

Lice/mite infestation is most likely the cause of her not feeling well, but if she doesn't perk up in a few days, then you will need to investigate further.

http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/08/poultry-lice-and-mites-identification.html