Is this chicken sick?

[Gail Laubenthal]

One of my 24 week old BO's looks like it has been secreting something on it feathers. I've noticed it for a couple of weeks, but never thought much about it. Today, I took a closer look and didn't find anything crawling around on her, but matted top and down feathers. I decided to give her a bath and let her dry off away from the other chickens. I have included pictures...any ideas on what might have matted her feathers together? I have over 50 birds with her and no other birds have this going on. Advice?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I can't get your pictures to load up bigger so I can see them better for some reason. It looks like it possibly got something dripped on it like oil?

 

[Gail Laubenthal]

I can't get your pictures to load up bigger so I can see them better for some reason. It looks like it possibly got something dripped on it like oil?

It may look like that but there would have never been an opportunity for that to happen.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Is her crop emptying overnight?
What do you feed?
Do you have any roosters?
Are the photos before or after the bath?

 

[Gail Laubenthal]

Is her crop emptying overnight?
What do you feed?
Do you have any roosters?
Are the photos before or after the bath?

How would I know about her crop emptying overnight? I have never heard of that. I feed Layena crumble. Yes I have roosters, all fairly young. The photos were before the bath.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Feel of her crop when she goes to bed (roosting) it should be full of full. Check her first thing in the morning before she eats/drinks - the crop should be empty/flat.

It's hard to tell in the photo - but it also looks like her beak had something on it as well? I'm wondering if she ate something that was wet/sticky (mash?) and proceeded to preen herself and got it all on her feathers.

You may want to watch and see how many of your young roosters (cockerels) are mating her at one time too - if they all have access to her - could be she is being pinned a lot and just getting dirty?

 

[coach723]

Don't know what your set up is like, but is she roosting underneath other birds? Possibly getting pooped on overnight? I've had this happen with younger birds integrating into the flock or lower pecking order birds, rather than try to get a spot to roost, they just find a spot below. Check after dark when they've gone to bed to see who is where.

 

[Gail Laubenthal]

Don't know what your set up is like, but is she roosting underneath other birds? Possibly getting pooped on overnight? I've had this happen with younger birds integrating into the flock or lower pecking order birds, rather than try to get a spot to roost, they just find a spot below. Check after dark when they've gone to bed to see who is where.

That might be happening. I will check later tonight to see where she is roosting. She is mixed in with older hens, but so are 30 other birds and this is the only one with this issue. Thanks