What’s up with Hilda’s tail?

[farmer-sly]

One of my RI hens has a weird tail. Just wondering if this is a sign of something I should be concerned about or if it is just a variation of “normal”.

 

[FeatheredFriends&Horses2]

It’s hard to say based on the picture… do you have any roosters or ducks? Where does she sit on the pecking order? Does her preen gland appear swollen?

 

[farmer-sly]

I’d say she’s somewhere in the middle of the pecking order. I am ignorant about the preening gland . What can I do about it? How can I tell? She is a pretty skittish bird. Maybe dropping in on her after dark?

 

[farmer-sly]

It’s hard to say based on the picture… do you have any roosters or ducks? Where does she sit on the pecking order? Does her preen gland appear swollen?

She’s eating the same feed as the other 8. They all get a few black soldier fly larvae 3-4 mornings each week. They get a bit of acv in their water. They’re fed an organic layers feed with a bit of food grade diatomaceous earth mixed in. Occasionally they get organic spring mix lettuce. They are allowed to range for 2-3 hours every other day.

 

[farmer-sly]

It’s hard to say based on the picture… do you have any roosters or ducks? Where does she sit on the pecking order? Does her preen gland appear swollen?

No roosters or ducks.

 

[FeatheredFriends&Horses2]

This is a regular-looking preen gland from a picture on the blog "The Art of Doing Stuff." Preen glands (scientifically known as uropygial glands) are located at the base of the tail and are the one gland a chicken has. Chickens will rub their beaks on the gland to release oil which they will then "zip" through each of their feathers. An infected gland can result in lost feathers around the area, poor feather quality, and cause the gland to be red and swollen. I've added a link to a website that has more detailed information.
http://www.poultrydvm.com/condition/uropygial-gland-infections#:~:text=The uropygial gland, also referred,the act of 'preening').

Image from:
Anatomy of a Chicken. From Tip to Tail. (2020). Retrieved 13 September 2021, from https://www.theartofdoingstuff.com/anatomy-of-a-chicken/#Oil_Gland

 

[farmer-sly]

View attachment 2831600 This is a regular-looking preen gland from a picture on the blog "The Art of Doing Stuff." Preen glands (scientifically known as uropygial glands) are located at the base of the tail and are the one gland a chicken has. Chickens will rub their beaks on the gland to release oil which they will then "zip" through each of their feathers. An infected gland can result in lost feathers around the area, poor feather quality, and cause the gland to be red and swollen. I've added a link to a website that has more detailed information.
http://www.poultrydvm.com/condition/uropygial-gland-infections#:~:text=The uropygial gland, also referred,the act of 'preening').

Image from:
Anatomy of a Chicken. From Tip to Tail. (2020). Retrieved 13 September 2021, from https://www.theartofdoingstuff.com/anatomy-of-a-chicken/#Oil_Gland

Thanks for taking the time to explain a bit. I’ve been researching a bit , but I haven’t seen any pics that look like my bird’s tail. I haven’t been able to scoop her up for closer inspection, but I’ll keep trying.