tail tucked and runny poop/dirty feathers

[aledbet]

Three months ago I added two Delaware hens to my flock of 4 hens and one rooster. I was told they were a year old and just coming out of their molt. We noticed in transport their poop was watery and stinky (stinkier than our others combined). In addition, their tails were down. At the time I attributed it to stress & low pecking order.

In the following months I've noticed only one seems to have the yucky poop/dirty bottom (resembling watery or clostridium perfringens). I've not seen any worms. Both still tuck their tails, but the other is beginning to pick up her tail now and then. None of the other chickens show signs of illness or yucky poop.

This particular hen is lowest on the pecking order, but not lethargic. She eats and drinks the same as our other hens & rooster. They are fed a standard layer feed with oyster shell offered on the side. They receive a weekly treat of (appropriate) produce scraps, and occasionally seeds. The chickens spend most of the time in a large coop and run, but are occasionally allowed to range.

In addition, we've had a rubbery egg, papery egg, and one which appeared to have been stuccoed with a rough idea of a shell since the addition of the Delaware's to our flock. I'm not certain which of the 6 hens is laying the eggs though.

Could these symptoms be related?

I've looked into clostridium perfringens, egg yolk peritonitius, and worms, but none are feel like the obvious answer. I'd love some feedback!

Thank you

 

[Eggcessive]

Welcome to BYC. Since there are different strains of coccidiosis in different soils, coccidiosis could be a possibility even in an older chicken. Coccidiosis in the past can be a precursor to enteritis with C. perfringens. Worms are possible also, and may seldom be seen in stools since there are several types and sizes. A fungal overgrowth in the digestive tract, such as one you might see in vent gleet or sour crop could be another possibility. To cut out some guess work, you could take a fresh early morning collective stool sample to your vet for a fecal study for worms and coccidia oocysts. It's not easy to diagnose enteritis with tests, but it can be treated with many common antibiotics such as amoxicillin, Tylan, penicillin, Gallimycin, chlortetracycline, bacitracin, and neomycin. It's common to have a hen who lays soft shelled or weird eggs, and that may be why she was sold.