[ycholmes]

I have recently acquired 4 new Cuckoo Marans.  Sweet girls, very different in nature.  I have now at last  (in the last few days) put them in with my 2 Orpingtons.  Today I notice the head honcho of the Marans - Harriet has a dirty bum and the feathers wet and messy around the area.  I have picked her up after a good deal of chasing and me falling in the dirty mud to check her.  It is wet and whiteish around her vent.  She is fine in herself.  Chasing around.  My concerns are obviously for her but also for the other chickens.  I don't have anything medicinal to give her.  Help! It is Saturday night what can I do with her please?

[hillfooter]

Clean her up and blow dry to start with.

How long have you had them and have you had them quarantined for three weeks to ensure they haven't an obvious illness before you introduced them? Have they been wormed?  How old are they? Did you enquire with the seller about their health and how confident are you that (s)he was a reputable breeder and had healthy stock?  Has their feed changed at all ie are you feeding them the same as the previous owner and if you have changed it was it done gradually or suddenly?  Are her dropping white and milky?  Are they in lay?  Check her vent to ensure that there's no prolapse (a red bulbous protrusion through her vent.  If so push it back with a greased finger and google / check these pages for treatment.)

Are there any signs of illness such as lack or appitite, depression listlessness, sneezing rattlely breathing discharge from the nostrils or eyes?

Keep her and the other two under observation in a separate run if possible and check to see that no other symptoms occur.  It mau not be a problem and clear up on it's own hopefully.  I wouldn't think any medication is indicated at present.

Separate them if you can.

HF

[hensjs]

My beginners book suggests that whiteish markings around the vent could mean lice (white lice) eggs. Might it be that?  It says contact a vet but in the event a vet is not around on a Saturday I wonder if one of the more experienced henkeepers might confirm some luke warm saline solution might at least help for now to at least clean the area....

When were they last wormed do you know?  Good luck

[hillfooter]

My beginners book suggests that whiteish markings around the vent could mean lice (white lice) eggs. Might it be that?  It says contact a vet but in the event a vet is not around on a Saturday I wonder if one of the more experienced henkeepers might confirm some luke warm saline solution might at least help for now to at least clean the area....

When were they last wormed do you know?  Good luck

I assume when you say flecked with white these are in fact urinates.  Chx don't pee they deposite a white creamy paste usually topping their dropings.  These are known as urinate salts and I suspect this hen has diarrhoea so the urinates end up flecking the rump feathers.

This won't be anything to do with lice whose presence can usually be detected by clumps of white eggs clustered round the base of the rump feathers like sugar crystals.

HF

[nuggets dad]

One of our hens had a rather runny bum and sticky feathers .We googled and founf that feeding them a mixture of Natural Yoghurt and scotch porridge oats , mixed together so it makes a thick ish mix had sorted her insides out really well .  She now has lovely fluffy feathers round her bum and they all go mad for their weekly treat (or if mrs has her way , every other day) . We just buy supermarket value yoghurt and a big bag of oats for less than £2 .The bag of oats lasts several weeks , so its a cheap treat and very good for them .

Just remembered , also adding some cider vinegar to their water helps as its a natural antibiotic :-)

Hope this helps , Mark

[ycholmes]

Thank you for all your advice.  Sorry but my computer has been out of action and only just got back on line (at work!)  She is now looking much better.  I washed and dried the bum as best as I could and she seems ok. Fingers crossed.