Chicken's "Personal Hygiene"

Morning,

Our Cotswold Legbar, Mathilda, has an enormous, bald "bottom" (bizarrely labelled "Fluff" on a chicken diagram I just looked at,) that sticks out behind her and underneath her vent. She had some feathers there once but now there are some stubby quills that collect her poo when she goes and it is very difficult to clean. It's like she has a cigar butt sticking out the back of her. I've tried standing her in a tub of warm water but the poo is rock hard and doesn't want to soften with the water.

Are these quills likely to fall out in her next moult and regrow?

Is there a way that I or a vet can trim the feathers to prevent this happening? I know you have to be careful about how short you cut feathers.

Can anyone suggest a sure fire way of removing the existing problem or am I just going to have to bath her for longer.

Thanks

Ben

She roosts on the bars quite happily.

I was struggling to explain the situation adequately in my first post. Possibly a better way to describe it is picturing the chicken as a renault clio with the vent being the rear windscreen and the boot being this chicken's enormous backside. Therefore however she stands, whenever she pops one out it hits the bald patch and these feather stubs. I suppose it could be possible that what I think are quills are in fact small feathers that have got all twisted up into a pooey "dreadlock".

The chooks are due for worming though I've not seen any problem signs. Also as regards mites I'm pretty sure that's not the cause.

If one of my hens gets daggy feathers i just give the encrustation (good word ) a squeeze twixt finger and thumb and it crumbles away.

You may want to 'marigold up' for this !

A pair of pliers will do it , as long as you are squeezing not pulling no harm will come.

  Please could someone tell me what "purple" is and what I should be using it for.  Also one of the girlies seems to think it is a boy and keeps jumping on the other four at various times and trying to have its wicked way!  Is it o.k. for her to do this or should I be doing something to encourage her to be a bit more feminine?  She is the oldest one of the five and we have had her the longest.  She seems o.k. in herself, just behaving strangely.  Would appreciate any answers.

She roosts on the bars quite happily.

I was struggling to explain the situation adequately in my first post. Possibly a better way to describe it is picturing the chicken as a renault clio with the vent being the rear windscreen and the boot being this chicken's enormous backside.

I'll never look at a Renault Clio in the same light again!!!