unthrifty chick

[hoppychicken]

Recently purchased 4 Buff Orpingtons (possibly mixed) at a poultry swap. Three of the pullets are large and fluffy and nice looking, but the 4th one I went back to get (probably shouldn't have) is way smaller than the other 3 and has dirty feathers around her legs and butt and she seems to be missing feathers in her butt area. Her tail feathers also seem to be bent. She eats and drinks ok, is active....but just doesn't look "clean". Thoughts?

 

[raroo]

Poor girl, maybe give her a warm bath, dry her off well and keep her warm afterward. Check for lice or mites too. Could be that she was just kept in dirty conditions.

 

[chicklips]

It may be pasty butt, Clean the area with warm water, dry her off. I out a little bit of vasiline on the area and it helps to keep the area a little cleaner.

 

[Bock_Bock]

if she is missing feathers could it be she was used for breeding and the rooster got to her, or could it be she is comming out entering or in a molt?

 

[hoppychicken]

I washed her butt with a bowl of warm water and Dawn dish liquid (that stuff is good for most anything), dried her off, put Neosporin on her rear and put a bowl of plain white yogurt in with her. Later on that night I mixed some Sulmet with water that I picked up at Southern States. Today she is looking much better. We may have saved her!

 

[hoppychicken]

Still giving this baby chick Sulmet (half dosage)---had to remove her from the others because they were pecking at her butt and underside. She is now by herself in a pen---there is still white goo coming out of her butt, but she does look better and she is not chirping as much. Will keep you posted.