Sweaty feathers?

[Castlewood]

Hello all!
Yesterday afternoon, I had a bit of sadness creep into the run. I found one of my 10 week old Easter Eggers dead. It seemed like it was out of nowhere, but when I look at my notes from the week I think there may be some signs that I wasn't reading correctly. I'm hoping to have the community lend some insight.

1. Bird had one eye closed for most of the week. Wrote it off as she may have gotten a peck or something from the run. I generally let these types of things run their course. When I would pick her up, she would open both eyes. I didn't see any weeping or infection.
2. This brings up the title of my post. This bird had some "sweaty" feathers. They looked wet or matted and not light and, well...feathery. Mostly around her cheeks. A little bit on the back of her neck. I'd seen this before, last year, in a bird with a respiratory infection. This current girl however had no wheezing, no discharge from her nose or eyes, and no sneezing.
3. I didn't notice a full crop and she seemed to have a healthy appetite up until the day she died when she became very lethargic.

So what gives? Is "sweaty feathers" a thing? Would the closed eye be an indicator of something larger? The morning of the day she died, I noted that she came out of the hen house without an appetite and didn't scratch at all. She was lethargic and was easy to pick up (which she is normally, not). By afternoon, she had died.

I know I'm calling for speculation, but I'd like to know if the wet feathers or closed eye are indicators that I need to be keen to look out for.

Thank you! -C

 

[Wyorp Rock]

10 week old

had one eye closed for most of the week

bird had some "sweaty" feathers. They looked wet or matted and not light and, well...feathery. Mostly around her cheeks. A little bit on the back of her neck. I'd seen this before, last year, in a bird with a respiratory infection

I know I'm calling for speculation

Yes, it would be speculation.

Not sure about sweaty feathers - if mainly around the cheeks and you saw this before with your flock last year due to respiratory disease, then I would lean toward that even if you didn't notice a lot of symptoms. Possibly a drainage?
The eye staying closed, the bird being 10weeks - either respiratory disease or possibly Marek's.

Necropsy would be the only way to get the correct answers. If you lose another in a short period of time, sending the body to your state lab would be a good idea. https://tvmdl.tamu.edu/

 

[Castlewood]

Thanks @Wyorp Rock I think we're on the same page. Regardless of it being a known symptom or not, "sweaty feathers" is in my chicken journal as something to look out for. Hard to say that it is discharge. I gave this bird a very solid inspection. No discharge from eyes or nose whatsoever. She just looked like she had the sweats. Odd, but very clearly not feeling her best. None of the other birds are showing similar symptoms. If it springs up, they'll earn a trip into quarantine.

Thanks again -C