Why is my chicken's tail pointed down and crooked? Please help...

[CatEyedWitch]

Hello and thanks to anyone in advance for any input!

I have four laying hens that are about 6 months old. About ten days ago, one would not come out of the coop, when she did she was obviously not feeling good and had her tail down. After a day or two of intensive research I realized it was vent gleet. I treated her with yogurt, vinegar in the water, bathed, cleaned and blow dried her feathers. After two days everything with her appeared to be normal, eating, running, feathers clean, healthy poop etc... with the exception of one thing... Her tail was and still is pointed down and bending towards one side. When ever I try to touch or check it she freaks out, as if it's causing her pain. Is it likely to be broke? I don't know what to do. I don't want to scare or hurt her, but she wont let me check it out. Any suggestions?

 

[Dartanion]

First it would help if I had pics,but your description it does sound broke.Its like a cats tail it will heal but there is little you can do.Unless you take her to the vet.

 

[ten chicks]

Hello and thanks to anyone in advance for any input!

I have four laying hens that are about 6 months old. About ten days ago, one would not come out of the coop, when she did she was obviously not feeling good and had her tail down. After a day or two of intensive research I realized it was vent gleet. I treated her with yogurt, vinegar in the water, bathed, cleaned and blow dried her feathers. After two days everything with her appeared to be normal, eating, running, feathers clean, healthy poop etc... with the exception of one thing... Her tail was and still is pointed down and bending towards one side. When ever I try to touch or check it she freaks out, as if it's causing her pain. Is it likely to be broke? I don't know what to do. I don't want to scare or hurt her, but she wont let me check it out. Any suggestions?

If she is eating/drinking ,and her poop looks normal,then i would not worry. On occasion i have seen tails pointed down and towards the side. Make sure vent area is clean and no signs of vent gleet remain. Is she being picked on?

 

[CatEyedWitch]

She is not being picked on, only one day when she had the gleet and her feathers were nasty they one started pecking at her, but after I cleaned and dried her it never happened again. She is totally keeping up with the flock, that's why I'm worried it is broke.

 

[ten chicks]

She is not being picked on, only one day when she had the gleet and her feathers were nasty they one started pecking at her, but after I cleaned and dried her it never happened again. She is totally keeping up with the flock, that's why I'm worried it is broke.

I see no reason to suspect her tail is broken,she may have some tail feathers that are broken/damaged,which may be irritating to her. If she is coming into a molt,new feathers coming in do irritate and can be painful,try to avoid handling chickens during this time.

 

[CatEyedWitch]

 

[CatEyedWitch]

It is possible I disturbed the feathers while cleaning and drying, I hope that is it. I forgot to mention - when she had the gleet, she laid two underdeveloped eggs (two days) on my porch. The third day when she appeared to be healthy again she laid a good egg in her coop like normal, but the last four days she has not laid at all.

 

[ten chicks]

It is possible I disturbed the feathers while cleaning and drying, I hope that is it. I forgot to mention - when she had the gleet, she laid two underdeveloped eggs (two days) on my porch. The third day when she appeared to be healthy again she laid a good egg in her coop like normal, but the last four days she has not laid at all.

How hot has it been? Heat/molting/illness will disrupt egg production. If she is not egg bound and vent gleet has cleared up,then all you can do is make sure she is eating/drinking,watch her for any other symptoms. Her poop looks normal?

 

[Eggcessive]

What you are seeing is probably wry tail, which is thought to be a recessive genetic trait. It is probably a coincidence that it just popped up(or down lol.) Here is an example: http://www.google.com/search?q=wry+...QGn84HQDA&sqi=2&ved=0CEkQsAQ&biw=1366&bih=655

 

[BantamLover21]

It could be broken, especially if she appears to be in pain if you touch it. However, I think that it is more likely that A) She has either broken or growing in feathers that are making her tail area painful B) It is wry tail, which is a genetic problem that doesn't affect a chicken's state of health or laying ability, but is a disqualification when showing chickens. Wry tail doesn't cause any pain, though, so her hurt attitude might have nothing to do with the tail being wry.

If it is a broken tail, it will heal in time. Wry tail will never go away, but if it is broken/growing feathers, she'll return to normal once the feathers grow in or are lost.

He lack of laying could be caused by any number of factors/stresses, including heat, illness, or the stress of being washed. After she gets over whatever is causing her to be stressed, she'll likely return to laying eggs.