Listless chicken with feather loss around backside

[McChicken lover]

Hi I have 5 hens & one has had a dirty backside for a little while, she has lost a lot of her feathers in this area too. Nothing is swollen or red & her skin is clear, but have seen white stuff on her feathers for a little while. We are currently worming them all. She is a little listless & her wattle is a bit pale, but I wouldn't say she was ill, she's running out for titbits & first out in the morning. We are thinking of giving her some natural youghurt & cooked rice - can anyone help us with any more advice please?

 

[BantamLover21]

Is the white stuff just on the feathers, or is it on the skin, possibly accompanied by white sores? And is there a foul smell near her vent? If so, then your hen probably has Vent Gleet, which is a fungal infection.

If its just white stuff (most likely urates from the droppings), then there isn't much to worry about. Some hens just don't keep themselves clean. Often times, at least with my birds (especially during wet/cold times), a bird will be dirty for several months, and then suddenly not have any problems anymore. If you want to clean her up, give her a nice warm bath.

However, the fact that your hen is droopy is a bit more alarming. How old is she? If over a year of age, she could be molting, which would explain the feather loss and pale comb/wattles. If not, worms or Coccidiosis are my two main suspects. Both cause chickens to be weak, with pale combs and wattles. If you see no improvement after worming, I'd treat for Coccidiosis.

Probiotics and/or yogurt might certainly help, if it is just a slight digestive issue, so I'd try those as well.