Possible oil gland impaction? Red skin, feather loss near tail (pics)

[hannanah]

I'm worried about my hen - she has been having feather loss around her tail for some time, the skin is red, and her oil gland doesn't seem to be expressing any oil. Has anyone seen this before? Any advice on how to treat her? The nearest poultry vet is about 2 hours away and booked solid...

I just gave her a warm Epsom salt soak. That's why she's all wet and scraggly in the photos. It didn't seem to get the gland to express.

 

[TX Chick Noob]

@Wyorp Rock @casportpony

 

[Wyorp Rock]

The oil in the gland is very thin/watery, you didn't see any oil when you gently swabbed the gland?

You can try warm compresses to see if that helps alleviate it.

You've checked her for lice and mites?

 

[hannanah]

The oil in the gland is very thin/watery, you didn't see any oil when you gently swabbed the gland?

You can try warm compresses to see if that helps alleviate it.

You've checked her for lice and mites?

I didn't see any lice/mites but I'm new to chickens. Might have missed them.

 

[Poultrybonkers]

She might be just being plucked by others around the tail due to lack of protien

 

[Lexian]

I'm worried about my hen - she has been having feather loss around her tail for some time, the skin is red, and her oil gland doesn't seem to be expressing any oil. Has anyone seen this before? Any advice on how to treat her? The nearest poultry vet is about 2 hours away and booked solid...

I just gave her a warm Epsom salt soak. That's why she's all wet and scraggly in the photos. It didn't seem to get the gland to express.

The 3rd photo looks very much like my girl. I will need to look closer to see if the gland is working for her.

 

[Razzlefrazzle]

The oil gland looks normal to me. Hard to say why she is losing or pulling out the feathers around it, but from the loss of feathers on her stomach I'd say she is/has been broody. Might just be hormonal?

Also wanted to say it looks like she might have bumblefoot on her left foot and possibly some sort sore forming on her keel bone?