Wyandotte chicken issue

[Horse023]

Hi guys…hoping someone has an idea if or what our chicken has an issue.
See attached picture of its bum feathers which seem abnormal and like she has couple dread locks….only just noticed it. Had not been like it long….doesn’t seem to be laying eggs. If she is very minimal…..like 1 a fortnight but has never been an egg layer….both the Wyandotte have not paid eggs.
They are coming up to 10 months old

thanks

 

[coach723]

Pictures are not real clear, appears to be dried, runny droppings in the feathers. You can give her a soak and work on cleaning that up if it's building up. Have your birds ever been wormed or had a fecal to check for parasites? That is a common cause of loose, runny droppings. You will most often not see worms in the droppings. Other symptoms can be weight loss, reduction in egg production. 10 months old is young for a reproductive problem, but it can happen. I would check for parasites to rule that out. If you don't have a vet that will run a fecal for you there are mail in options, or you could just worm her and see if it improves things. Some birds take longer to start laying than others, it's hard to predict. Generally I would expect a 10 month old to be laying, but it's pretty variable and time of year matters, some birds are more sensitive to the reduction in daylight hours and even young ones can stop laying in the winter. If you are not sure if she's laying you can crate her for a few days, monitor her droppings and get a good look, see if she lays for you. Give her a good going over, look for any other signs of something being off, check her weight/body condition , check her over for lice/mites.