One stinky lady

[Kerry Ellen]

One of my hens just stinks to high heaven. Her body actually smells bad, almost like it’s decaying. Every time she flaps her wings or jumps on my lap I hold my breath. She’s seemingly healthy, eats, drinks, does normal chicken things. Anyone have a stinky bird? Should I be concerned about any health related problems? Her friends smell like flowers compared to her. Photo of her protesting winter for laughs.

 

[My Bagurks]

Do they have a good dust bathing area?

 

[Coops Dad]

Go over her thoroughly. Chickens can commonly have an infection or abscess and not show outward distress (weakness invites challenges and picking by other chickens, so they'll act like nothing's wrong). Examine every inch of her, stroking feathers backward, lifting wings, checking body creases at the thighs, etc.

I had a rooster who had a small skin flap that allowed a pocket of infection to fester. While petting him one day, it ruptured and stunk the way Bleu cheese tastes.

 

[Kerry Ellen]

Do they have a good dust bathing area?

They do. Sand in run and a few hours of outside time in good old dirt each day. But good question, she does bathe obsessively. Like she knows she has an issue.

 

[Kerry Ellen]

Go over her thoroughly. Chickens can commonly have an infection or abscess and not show outward distress (weakness invites challenges and picking by other chickens, so they'll act like nothing's wrong). Examine every inch of her, stroking feathers backward, lifting wings, checking body creases at the thighs, etc.

I had a rooster who had a small skin flap that allowed a pocket of infection to fester. While petting him one day, it ruptured and stunk the way Bleu cheese tastes.

I want to vomit reading that last sentence. But good advice. I’ll give her a good once over tomorrow. It hadn’t occurred to me that she may actually have an injury somewhere.

 

[Coops Dad]

Don't read this if you're squeamish.






It was worse than it sounds because I had scooped him up and was holding him tucked in the crook of my arm like carrying a football, and I thought he had squirted chicken-hot diarrhea onto my side.

Nope. Not Diarrhea.

And I threw the shirt in the trash.

 

[My Bagurks]

 

[Kerry Ellen]

Don't read this if you're squeamish.






It was worse than it sounds because I had scooped him up and was holding him tucked in the crook of my arm like carrying a football, and I thought he had squirted chicken-hot diarrhea onto my side.

Nope. Not Diarrhea.

And I threw the shirt in the trash.

Oh gosh. Please be prepared to help me tomorrow in the event of an unspeakable discovery.

 

[smdcleland]

One of mine smells like poop all of the time! I'll have to check her tomorrow morning. She's not yet full grown.

Shannon