Permanently droopy tail

[akchickenman]

Has anyone ever had a chicken that has a permanently droopy tail? I have a pullet (who just laid for the first time this weekend ) whose tail feathers are always down. She got cocci when she was about 3 months old, and it seems as though her tail has not recovered after that. It certainly isn't as droopy as it was when she was sick, but she doesn't strut her tail feathers the way my other girls do. She eats and drinks well, is active, and is quite chatty, but is the lowest in the pecking order and the girl at the top is quite bossy. Is this normal or should I be looking for something else going on?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Breed and breeding generally dictates tail carriage, though an injury to it could cause a droopy tail. What breed is she?

 

[akchickenman]

Breed and breeding generally dictates tail carriage, though an injury to it could cause a droopy tail. What breed is she?

She is an EE.

 

[sourland]

As a subordinate she may be maintaining a low profile to stay out of trouble with the boss. If she has started laying, I doubt that her health is an issue.

 

[akchickenman]

Thanks! I thought it might be something along these lines. Even though she is at the bottom of the pecking order, she seems to stay out of the way of the boss, and the boss leaves her alone, while the one in the middle of the pecking order (I only have 3) seems to always be in the wrong spot at the wrong time and gets beat up every now and then. I didn't think it was anything health wise, but wanted to double check!