New cockerel with seemingly bloody chest

[palaeosam]

Hi all,
This morning we noticed some red splatter markings on our 9 week old Serama male’s chest - last night we thought we saw something like this right before roosting time but he’d had beetroot that day so we put it down to that. Today when he first came down there were no markings and he has no beetroot so I think we can rule it out. I’m enclosing a photo, my hope is that this is natural moulting made all the more obvious by the white feathers but my fear is that it’s something more serious. Any help you can give would be greatly appreciated.

 

[The Happster]

Does he have any blood on his comb or wattles?
Sometimes mine catch their comb on something, making it bleed and when they preen it gets on their feathers. Or he could have just brushed against something.
Is he acting fine apart from that?
He might even have sat down or dustbathed where you gave him the beetroot.

 

[Ihavesomechickens]

Beetroot can stain feathers, so you might have him looking like that till at least another few hours.he might’ve layed in some juice or something. It doesn’t look like blood.

 

[The Happster]

They said he came out this morning with no marks but got marks later, am I right?
But he hasn't had any more since then.

 

[palaeosam]

Does he have any blood on his comb or wattles?
Sometimes mine catch their comb on something, making it bleed and when they preen it gets on their feathers. Or he could have just brushed against something.
Is he acting fine apart from that?
He might even have sat down or dustbathed where you gave him the beetroot.

Oo good point on potential beetroot stains from earlier, I’ll check for those. He’s a little nervous around our grumpy older hen (her beak being the only sharp thing in there) but we’ve been watching their interactions so far and I don’t think she’s beating him up (or if she is she’s waiting ‘til we’re not looking). They’ve known each other for four weeks, mostly positive interactions but she has been known to shove him with her chest if he’s being slow.

 

[21hens-incharge]

To me it looks like staining too. Maybe he laid in "leftover" beet juice.

 

[sourland]

Beet juice staining. Don't panic when he poops red.

 

[Ihavesomechickens]

Beetroot stains are harder to get off of chicken feathers them watermelon stains, or even mulberry stains.

 

[palaeosam]

Just wanted to say a big thank you to all the people who replied to this. On closer investigation it did indeed look like he had lain in a beet puddle. Now I feel like an unnecessarily anxious parent .

 

[21hens-incharge]

Just wanted to say a big thank you to all the people who replied to this. On closer investigation it did indeed look like he had lain in a beet puddle. Now I feel like an unnecessarily anxious parent .

Better safe than sorry. I am glad he is ok.