Is this ok?

[poularde]

I hope I am posting this correctly. I am pretty new at this and I have a question. I have black sex-link hen just over a year old. She is a beautiful bird and seems very healthy. I keep having a problem with her. Now remember she behaves normally and lays almost daily, but she keeps getting poop stuck on her feathers. I had to trim her feathers last time.(it's like cement.) It looks like I need to do it again.

Is this normal or is there a health issue? I think I remember reading somewhere that some Wyandottes vent feathers are so downy that you may have this problem. Any suggestion would be appreciated.

 

[Mahonri]

Sounds like you'll need to keep trimming the feathers around the vent or perhaps change up her diet?

 

[poularde]

Can you tell what I need to change.

Do I need to add something or is it good to do different foods? I know I like to feed a rotational diet to my dogs for many reasons. They, all my chickens get an organic layer pellet and fresh grass daily. Should I check out posts on feeding?

 

[nzpouter]

cut down the wet/ soft stuffs for a while, add some grain like wheat, maize, barley into the mix...

in theory you only need to cut the feathers around the bum once a year as they're only replaced in autumn during the moult.

 

[peggym]

:/Try adding a little vinegar to their water. I have a couple hens that get gooey. That seems to help, mainly it's the hens with tons of feathers, mine are cochins.