Why are my chickens tails slumped?

[nikkitiff]

I seem to be having the same problem over and over again. My chicken start by the tails beginning to slump. They still lay and act normal but the tail looks awkward. One of the girls who's tail is slumped got put in a coop with my 4 new 6 month old birds. Now two of them are showing signs of tail slumping.

I have wormed them, I have put the "natural" mite sprays from the feed store on them. I have used the powder for mites. Nothing seems to make a difference.
Im worried what ever it is going on will keep spreading to my new flock.

I should add that it does not seem to effect my white leghorns. OR at least not their tails. Right now its a red sexlink that is slumping and passed it onto my younger Americana. I have two asterlorps that seem to not be changing much yet. Im watching them.

Im not finding much when I go to look it up on the internet.
We live in the Northwest in a dry desert climate.

Anyone have any clues?

 

[ChickNanny13]

Pictures please

 

[Eggcessive]

Are they losing tail feathers? Do you have a rooster? It would help to see pictures of what you are seeing. Hens can have tails that go down, and that is a universal sign of the hen feeling poorly. Egg binding or another sickness such as a reproductive disorder or crop problem might be a possibility. Do these chickens have any other signs, such as a crop that is not emptying overnight, not eating or drinking, dehydration, or not being able to lay an egg? Is there any diarrhea? Can you check for a stuck egg by inserting a finger 2 inches inside the vent?

 

[micstrachan]

Photos of the “slumping” body language?

 

[nikkitiff]

thank you everyone. Just got home tonight and leaving early am for 2 days. I will get the pictures as soon as Im back.

They seem to act normal other than the slumped tail. They still produce eggs, eat and drink. Yes, one of them did loose tail feathers. No, no rooster.

I will look at the crop part. I never thought of that. But really it seems that my newer birds who were high tailed and happy started to have the slumped tail once I introduced my older chicken who already has the slump.

Thank you all again for your time

 

[chickenalia]

I had this behaviour in my new flock. I was concerned so I watched them for a while and decided it was stress related as the group established a pecking order. There was no bullying just a general sense of depression and anxiety. I made a tonic of kefir (a fermented milk product similar to yogurt/cottage cheese) and frozen sweet corn ,as it was getting very warm and sunny at the time, this chicken ice cream went down very well and tails returned to normal within a few days. I concluded from this that either they required extra protein, or the alcoholic content (only slight) revived flagging spirits.
I turn to this tonic now for any kind of flagging behaviour, due to the unprecedented heat of this summer, the ice cream has been of enormous help in keeping my girls laying where other flocks have ceased to lay due to the heat.
I would say despite the smell kefir is worth its weight in gold. Google it to find out more x

 

[snow5164]

Why does your kefir smell ?
I’ve made my own milk kefir for years, it’s fermented milk , lactose and sugar is gone and has many probiotics.

Since I’ve started drinking it I to have noticed my tail doesn’t slump like it used too , be careful the claims you make , giving probiotics and corn is good but doesn’t fix reproduction issues .

Be careful I lost most of a flock or rir and it all started with slumped tails and feather loss , something was wrong with them and I didn’t catch it soon enough , I thought they were just too hot

 

[chickenalia]

Why does your kefir smell ?
I’ve made my own milk kefir for years, it’s fermented milk , lactose and sugar is gone and has many probiotics.

Since I’ve started drinking it I to have noticed my tail doesn’t slump like it used too , be careful the claims you make , giving probiotics and corn is good but doesn’t fix reproduction issues .

Be careful I lost most of a flock or rir and it all started with slumped tails and feather loss , something was wrong with them and I didn’t catch it soon enough , I thought they were just too hot

I find the smell of fermented product a little too strong...maybe I’m making it wrong ?. I do not drink it myself nor use it in my diet. I prefer live yogurt. But kefir has been excellent for the girls, and my 10penworth was put with a view to helping. No claim was made regarding reproductive issues, just with tails down for which you are correct, there are many reasons. In my case I observed anxiety due to new home and coop mates. A little chicken ice cream helped enormously and I stand by that claim!

 

[snow5164]

Ok, I just think we have to be careful when handing out remedies and new or inexperienced chicken owners take that in as wisdom and actual remedies for illness .

If giving your hens milk helped them , they were not sick . Time and your attention probably helped them feel better .

No one knows everything, and each situation is different, but give them garlic or herbs isn’t the way I treat illness in my birds .

Good luck