Black Scaly spots on Beak - what could this be?

[MadHatcher]

Hello everyone!

My rooster Baba Yaga has a weird scaly black circles forming on his beak. This does not upset him but I am worried about it.

Could this be avian pox?

Also - do his feet look normal? I'm not exactly sure what a "normal" chicken foot looks like.

Thank you for helping this first time chicken mommy!

 

[MadHatcher]

I don't think this is normal... has anyone seen this before?

 

[Qi Chicken]

He looks duck footed to me!

JK, his feet look fine, don't know about his beak.

 

[Hillary and friend's eggs]

Quote:
This is definitely NOT normal. I have never seen or heard of anything like it. I'll go look it up in a book I have and see If I can find a match.

 

[MadHatcher]

Awesome! So I'm not crazy. I'm trying to look on the bright side because I'm completely attached to all of my chickens. I have 5 Araucana. They are about 5 months old now and I don't want them to be sick. None of them are acting like they are sick or injured but this just looks so icky to me.

 

[MadHatcher]

The only relevant information I can find on the subject seems to point to either fowl pox or necrosis from too fine a feed. Apparently, there have been cases where tissue break down occurs from the feed being too finely ground... but why would this only be affecting one of my 5 birds? It doesn't make much sense to me.

 

[MadHatcher]

Could it be a calcium deficiency? They were on Countryside Organics broiler/grower feed for the last several weeks but recently we've switched them to a 60/40 ratio of broiler/grower and adult layer feed... so they should be getting higher calcium intake now. I plan on going to get them oyster shell tomorrow for free choice.

They get plenty of variety in their diet in addition to this feed - bananas, pumpkin, cantaloupe, cheese. Plus, I try to give them several hours a day of free range in my fenced 1/3 acre. I have observed them eating many bugs - earthworms, termites, rolly-pollys, flies, spiders etc.

I'm trying to think of anything relevant. Let me know if you need any additional information to help with figuring out what this might be.

Thank you for all the help!

 

[Silver Spring Waterfowl]

Mad Hatcher, this could be a fungal infection. Not enough info in your post. Do you have a vet? If so, would they be willing to take a skin scrape for you and send it to your state lab? That's really the only way to be sure. That said, I'll warn you that it's very difficult to find a vet who does poultry. I had a goose with a sever fungal infection, so much so the we thought it was a severe burn and that he would lose both feet. I began treatment without a veterinary consult, but tried to find one who would help. This was the only bird out of 40 that was affected. Does this bird have access to damp feed or hay? Has the environment been unusually damp for an extended period of time? It's so cool right now that I can't think it's conducive to fungal growth, but I suppose it could happen. Before you get too upset (I have a boatload of textbooks and reference books that can scare a person to death looking at the various symtoms), try getting a veterinary consult. If that's not possible, I can offer you a possible aid.
A few years ago, I made a skin cream for one of my rabbits who was born with a splay leg. It's all natural and was intended to be a skin conditioner, but it actually had a multitude of other properties. That we discovered later. If you would like the the basic recipe, IM me. I am inserting a picture of the goose's bill. He had it on the tops only of his feet, bill and eyelids, (which we couldn't treat). The whole cere sloughed off that when I went to wash it because it just didn't look right. He healed without any scarring whatsoever. I still have the original pics on my Facebook page that I posted for the vets. If these don't work out, I'll see if I can get them to you

These were taken after 13 days of treatment. I didn't think to take pictures initially. We were too busy trying to save the feet.

 

[MadHatcher]

We do have one vet that claims to see poultry. I had already planned on making an appointment tomorrow morning. Now I know what to ask for when I get there! Thank you.

He doesn't have access to damp feed. It has been wet and rainy off and on for a few days. However, this manifestation occurred prior to the weather changing.

I'd be very interested in any recipe that might help my guy with this or any other ailment that may occur in the future. I'll send you a PM.

Thank you

 

[MadHatcher]

Alright - he has an appointment at 5:30 (eastern standard) this afternoon. I'll be sure to let you know if I find anything out.