Please tell me this is nothing

[rgmarch_]

hey, there!

A couple of days ago, I lost one of my hens. She was four and a half. She seemed to have lost strength in her legs. She could walk, but not very well and not very far. She was doing a lot of flapping. I isolated her, just in case. Two days after isolation, she passed. Well, I came home from work, fed my girls, and noticed this red on the back of the feathers of one of them. She’s the same age, four and a half, and it has rained a lot here in SC, so maybe this is just dirt. She wouldn’t let me grab her and see, so I’m hoping maybe someone here can help. Do y’all think she’s just dirty or do you think something is wrong? Picture attached.

 

[Joeschooks]

That looks like an injury to me. Could you have a small predator attacking your flock?

 

[getaclue]

I agree with Joeschooks. That looks like blood, indicating injury.

 

[Mariah9]

I had one of my girls w/ that loss of strength/flapping. She died as well. It might could be blood--but the feathers are there.

I've caught chickens with fishing nets and tricked them into cat carriers to examine them. They don't like it...and at least I can see what's going on.

 

[Eggcessive]

It helps to get a diagnosis with a necropsy. Contact your state dept. of agriculture or state vet to get one. It could be something like Mareks disease, but hard to know for sure. Sorry for your loss.

 

[Hazelbunny]

That's definitely blood from an injury

 

[imnukensc]

Looks like blood to me, too, but with blood, just a little goes a long way. A few drops could easily get smeared over the area shown in the pic. If the chicken is acting fine, I wouldn't even worry about it. Chances are, if the chicken were not white and was instead something like a RIR or BR, you'd never even have seen it.

 

[rgmarch_]

Y’all are absolutely incredible! Thank you all so much. You’ve absolutely made me feel better and definitely given me some things to think about. Thank you times a million!!