Beak rot?

Eggbound

Hatching
Mar 28, 2025
3
0
6
I got this hen shipped to me in early March. I noticed some black on her beak then, but assumed it was just dirt/wear.

Now, today, it's terrible! Her beak seems to be rotting away, or at least the human equivalent of a jaw bone rotting away.

I got the yellow and black off, there was a very small amount of blood inside her mouth right on the jaw that I applied pressure to. I treated with children's non stinging betadine (antiseptic), but I don't know where to go from here.

Any thoughts as to what this could be? I've dealt with fowl pox before, and she doesn't have any symptoms (no sneezing, wheezing, bubbly or runny eyes/nose), she does eat and drink, and has plenty of spunk like usual. No weight loss. No other discoloration in her mouth.
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Is there any bad odor from her beak? Canker, a disease spread by pigeons and wild birds can cause yellow gunk inside the beak, on tongues, and can invade the throat and crop. It can look similar to wet fowl pox, except for the bad odor. Metronidazole or ronidazole are anti-protozoan meds that can treat it. But I would not treat with meds until I found out what it is. Hopefully, someone did not sell you a chicken with canker, since it is contagious. Occasionally, someone posts a thread about cancer that affects the inside of the beak. Could she have been pecked inside her beak? Here is some reading about canker:
https://www.bhwt.org.uk/hen-health/health-problems/oral-canker/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/canker-in-chickens.78133/
 
Is there any bad odor from her beak? Canker, a disease spread by pigeons and wild birds can cause yellow gunk inside the beak, on tongues, and can invade the throat and crop. It can look similar to wet fowl pox, except for the bad odor. Metronidazole or ronidazole are anti-protozoan meds that can treat it. But I would not treat with meds until I found out what it is. Hopefully, someone did not sell you a chicken with canker, since it is contagious. Occasionally, someone posts a thread about cancer that affects the inside of the beak. Could she have been pecked inside her beak? Here is some reading about canker:
https://www.bhwt.org.uk/hen-health/health-problems/oral-canker/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/canker-in-chickens.78133/
She has no bad odor in her mouth or on her body. I'm not sure what her living conditions were before she got to me, but I always assume anyone who is NPIP and able to ship, are clean people/clean birds. She's been living with her mate since she got to me (shipped together). He had no issues anywhere on his body but I did separate them today. I will do some research on cankers :)
 

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