Ok, I have no idea whether this is in the right section or whatever but I am in desperate need of anyone's help. So two of my hens went clucky and laid a bunch of eggs. Anyway only 3 hatched. The first few weeks the chickens were fine but the only female chicken had developed a growth/wart/pimpley lump just under her eye. After a couple of days the wart thing would grow, then eventually just pop. Another couple of weeks later the hen hasn't grown much compared to her brother. The brother had developed a massive lump just above his eye. This lump was huge just as the last did.... It popped. Fast track two weeks and the third chicken developed one of these lumps on his wattle. This one hasn't popped yet. .Me and my parents passed all of them off to be in grown feathers? Anyway here's the real problem, thought that would be just some background info. The hen, the chicken with the first lump has 'nervous ticks' sorta thing. When I pour food in their pen, the other two eat fine however she pecks at the food but doesn't actually connect with it. (After a while she gets it). Today I have noticed that this seems to have gotten worse, and now she doesn't connect with the food at all. We thought she might be half blind, like a distance thing but a eye test we kinda done was fine. I have tried hand feeding her without success. I need help ASAP. As I don't want to lose my first baby hen that my flock hatched, especially to something like starvation.
Hello & welcome, Your problem sounds suspiciously like Mareks disease. It can cause a variety of problems including blindness, tumors, progressive paralysis, diarrhea, weight loss & death. Ideally, chicks should be raised away from the flock until they are at least 3 months old. Many people say that Mareks is present in any flock of chickens, but healthy birds will show no signs of infection. Chicks however, are vulnerable. Sorry for the grim news, if you hatch eggs in future, remove them from the hen and brood them separately, Sue
Hi & . I think what you are describing is Fowl Pox - wet form. It can present as pus like growths on featherless areas on birds. It is not contagious to people but, very contagious to other birds and can be spread by mosquitos. If you read this old thread it will give you lots of info. https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...x-xxx-rated-graphic-pictures-of-pus-and-scabs. Good Luck
