Just wondering...

[TomK]

Hi folks...didnt know how to title this question cuz its not serious but i am actually wondering...the flock is almost thru its moult/freeloading time and all of the RIRs are looking amazing except for one.. she hasn't really refeathered well and there is evidence that she's been picked on...no obvious signs of distress and she seems alert but she is crapping really loose and light yellow beige and its been clinging and messing up her butt area big time..as well, a lot of feather is missing in the vent zone and the skin is inflamed...I took her in this morning and bathed her in some (can you believe this?) Lavender scented epsom salted warm water...she took it well and i have her in the basement in a large dog crate all cozy like....how long is it a good idea to keep her this way?..i am not big on keeping chickens in total solitary but if there is no harm I can deal with my thoughts on that...and she is the only one with the issue in that flock.... everyone else seems just fine....thanks

[Jaye]

Yeah, I have one with the same issue: her loose stools are chronic, and in these temps if/when it clings to her butt feathers she winds up riding low in the rear with cement manure balls. I haven't brought her in for another spa day yet, but it needs to happen soon. I've been holding off until I have time to get her cleaned up in the morning so that she can spend the entire day drying out and warming up before going back to the coop. A few years back she did her usual winter moult during an especially cold snap, so I wound up keeping her inside for about 5 days, give or take.
She's head hen in a well-established flock, so the rest of the gang didn't forget her, and re-integration was really seamless. However, if your hen is somewhat lower in the pecking order, if it were me I'd want to get her back to the flock sooner rather than later. I would keep her indoors overnight to make sure she's completely dry and bring her back out before wakeup time.

[TomK]

Thanks Jaye...that was my thinking too...i have to get outta Dodge early in the dark this week coming so re integration should be simple...this isn't a chronic thing with her tho...came on the last couple of weeks so hopefully it clears up. :running-chicken:

[Jaye]

Hope that epsoms salts bath and a warm break gets your hen sorted out, @TomK .
One other thought: if it's light yellow beige and her skin is raw, it sounds like it could be vent gleet. Did it smell a bit yeasty?
Since you have her all cleaned up anyway, I would try applying some Canesten cream to her vent area. If nothing else, it will soothe her inflamed skin. Cheapest place for Canesten is Walmart - and their store brand is even less expensive.