9 week old red/blood spot on beak

[Olandpoohandchickens]

Hi all,
Hope you’re all having a great weekend!
One of my cockerels (9 week old) developed a red/blood spot on his beak close to his nostril. I tried touching it and i felt like a hole on the surface of the beak. It’s reddish in color so I suspect blood. It doesn’t seem to bother him but it’s definitely new! Didn’t see it yesterday! Anyone has any idea what it could be and if I should be concerned? Thank you!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Looks like he nicked or scraped it on something. Check your water and feed station for any sharp edges. If he is outside, sticking a beak through the holes in wire could be the problem too.

I wouldn't do anything to it. He should be just fine.

 

[Olandpoohandchickens]

We do use chicken wire in their coop!!! If that’s the case, should I change it all to hard cloth? The coop we built is inside of our shed so we weren’t worried about predators. So picked chicken wires instead of hardcloth.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

We do use chicken wire in their coop!!! If that’s the case, should I change it all to hard cloth? The coop we built is inside of our shed so we weren’t worried about predators. So picked chicken wires instead of hardcloth.

Do you have some photos of your housing

Chicken wire is great for keeping chickens in, but it is not all that sturdy to keep predators out. If your shed is secured and you close it up at night, then the chicken wire may be o.k., but what do you have covering your windows? Chickens need a lot of ventilation.

Hardware cloth is more sturdy, it's more expensive too. I like to use it to fortify my coop windows for predator protection at night (when the girls are locked up). My runs are a combination of hardware cloth, chain link fencing and chicken wire a the top, but I also have electric fencing around the whole coop and run.

 

[Olandpoohandchickens]

Do you have some photos of your housing

Chicken wire is great for keeping chickens in, but it is not all that sturdy to keep predators out. If your shed is secured and you close it up at night, then the chicken wire may be o.k., but what do you have covering your windows? Chickens need a lot of ventilation.

Hardware cloth is more sturdy, it's more expensive too. I like to use it to fortify my coop windows for predator protection at night (when the girls are locked up). My runs are a combination of hardware cloth, chain link fencing and chicken wire a the top, but I also have electric fencing around the whole coop and run.

I do have some photos! And yes the shed locks up at night and there is a vent close to the roof and a full window on the side. We plan on making another window on the other side across from the correct window but so far it’s maintained good temperature when it’s hot out. Both the vent and window are covered with hardware cloth. If you have any suggestions please let me know! thank you!

 

[CourtKnee]

What a lovely coop for them!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Nice!

Do you shut the outside doors at night on the shed?
Do they have a run or do they free range in the yard?

 

[Olandpoohandchickens]

Nice!

Do you shut the outside doors at night on the shed?
Do they have a run or do they free range in the yard?

We shut the shed door and the little chicken door at night while they go in and out freely during the day. They are free range at day time, our yard is completely fenced in with high privacy fencing. We plan on making a run for them before the winter though!

 

[Olandpoohandchickens]

What a lovely coop for them!

Thank you! We have a pretty big shed so decided to convert part of it to a coop! Saved us a lot of money!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

If you shut the big doors at night (no gaps), keep the pop door secured and the windows are securely covered with hardware cloth, then the interior chicken wire is probably o.k.

Do keep in mind that raccoons and possums (+other predators) are going to test and try to find ways into your coop. The neighborhood dogs, fox and coyote are also something to really watch even if you have privacy fencing. Chickens can fly and dig. The dog/fox/coyote can also climb and dig (as well as raccoon/possum).