Blister above beak below comb...is this normal?

[thatchickenladyfromCA]

Hi All,

Just moved the girls outside to their coup at night this week as they are now all over 4 weeks old and it is warm enough. They came to visit me today, I work from home and they like to pop (poop lol) up on my computer monitor until I shoo them away. 2 of them have red marks above their beaks. Once I was able to get pictures and zoom in, the red marks are actually missing skin. Is this from pecking eachother? I don't see them fighting or being aggressive during the day but maybe now that they are in the coup at night? Anyone else had this issue before? Any chance this is part of beak/comb development (doubting but trying to cover all bases)?

 

[TwoCrows]

Oh poor babies! That is not normal development. Could she/they have burned it on something, it almost looks like a burn? Maybe stuck her heading some place she shouldn't have? I doesn't look like pecking or it's been bitten. I'd start with making sure there is nothing in the coop they can peck at that is dangerous like cords or outlets, no wires to put her head through or anything she can get caught in. No heat lamp access around the heads.

I would put an antibiotic cream on those, nothing with pain killers though. Maybe some vetericyn, even dome witch hazel if you have it. Watch it doesn't become infected. And watch the others don't start pecking at it.

 

[thatchickenladyfromCA]

Oh poor babies! That is not normal development. Could she/they have burned it on something, it almost looks like a burn? Maybe stuck her heading some place she shouldn't have? I doesn't look like pecking or it's been bitten. I'd start with making sure there is nothing in the coop they can peck at that is dangerous like cords or outlets, no wires to put her head through or anything she can get caught in. No heat lamp access around the heads.

I would put an antibiotic cream on those, nothing with pain killers though. Maybe some vetericyn, even dome witch hazel if you have it. Watch it doesn't become infected. And watch the others don't start pecking at it.

Yeah its so weird. The coup has no electrical, no heat lamps, no cords, nothing. Will definitely get some cream this weekend. Thanks!

 

[TwoCrows]

Yeah its so weird. The coup has no electrical, no heat lamps, no cords, nothing. Will definitely get some cream this weekend. Thanks!

I am going to move this thread to our Emergency forum, maybe tag a couple of members that might be able to help.

@azygous

@Wyorp Rock

 

[azygous]

It looks like an abrasion from eating from a feeder with sharp protrusions or edges. Check everything in the brooder and present enclosure for anything a chick can fit its head into that might cause scraping as the chick withdraws its beak.

Any time you have more than one individual with the same exact injury, you should examine the infrastructure.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

It looks like an abrasion from eating from a feeder with sharp protrusions or edges. Check everything in the brooder and present enclosure for anything a chick can fit its head into that might cause scraping as the chick withdraws its beak.

Any time you have more than one individual with the same exact injury, you should examine the infrastructure.

Agreed.

 

[thatchickenladyfromCA]

It looks like an abrasion from eating from a feeder with sharp protrusions or edges. Check everything in the brooder and present enclosure for anything a chick can fit its head into that might cause scraping as the chick withdraws its beak.

Any time you have more than one individual with the same exact injury, you should examine the infrastructure.

Thank you...I think you may be right. I bought a new feeder over the weekend in case the metal one caused it. I also bought a new toy in case they were pecking at the wire fencing around the run. They seem to be healing!