Abnormal growth, not an emergency

[taylorgirl6]

Has anyone seen this type of abnormal growth on a hen?

Yes, I know she has scissor beak. She's a three month old blue wyandotte, and she's quite healthy and happy. I have no intention of culling her until I see that she is suffering in some way.

Her skull is obviously deformed, and the wattle on her left side isn't growing normally. The brownish spots are hard and crusty. Dried food maybe? I'm hesitant to pick them off for fear of wounding her skin around her beak. You can also see a lump over her left eye socket. If anyone can enlighten me, I'd appreciate it.

 

[MotherJean]

The swelling around the eye could be the early signs of Avian Metapneumovirus (aMPV) also know as "swollen face syndrome." There are, however, other respiratory diseases that can also produce swelling like that around the eye. Most are highly infectious and, thus, a threat to your other birds. These diseases are seldom fatal except in cases where secondary infections occur because of the bird's suppressed immunity. There are vaccines available for many of these diseases, but no "cure" once infected. There will sometimes be secondary bacterial infections that may respond to antibiotics. These birds can seem to return to "normal", but can continue to have problems that would appear unrelated to the respiratory disease - a general failure to thrive, egg laying problems such as internal laying, egg yolk peritonitis, thin-shell or no shell eggs, etc.

Given the fact that this chick has cross beak issues, as well, it would be in the best interest of the bird and your other birds to cull. If you'd like a more thorough discussion of respiratory diseases in chickens, read "Chickens Don't Catch Colds": https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=123652

 

[Oven Ready]

I would try wiping the crusty bits with a cotton bud and warm water - scabs or food, they should come off. Something else like warts or growths will not come off.

Swollen eyes/lids happen easily with a peck, and they get infected easily.

Broad spectrum antibiotics don't do the chickens any harm and keep most infections at bay if you think she may be, or in danger of being, infected bacterially. Do keep her on them for a week or so, not to prevent a superbug developing but to ensure that any infection is completely gone and give her a few days of protection from immediate re-infection.

Other than that, I don't know what else to say except keep an eye on your other birds incase it is an infectious disease.

We have the odd 'wierdo', one dwarf (and that's a dwarf bantam - tiny!), one with a lump on his head and one whose wing is almost permanently stuck on the wrong side of his tail. They are all perfectly healthy and live a happy life, it's the end of the evolutionary road for their genes but they don't know that.

 

[taylorgirl6]

Thanks for the info! Honestly, I'm thinking this is some kind of skull deformity linked to her scissor beak issue. If you press on the lumpy bits, you can feel hardness underneath, just like bone. OvenReady, you're definitely right about the crusty stuff. Some of it has come off in little pieces (I just love the gross parts of raising animals), but I was afraid it was more of a scab. That's not to say I've seen any blood, because I have not. This little girl is low in the pecking order, but the older hens tend to peck the little ones' backs, not their faces (they run off quickly). I've also considered that this could be a form of avian pox, but it's too early for us to have much mosquito activity. Has anyone here had experience with avian pox?

 

[MotherJean]

Well, heck, your guess is as good as anybody's...good luck on your search for answers and don't hesitate to re-post if you see any other symptoms.