Crustiness beneath beak?

[lhawkey2096]

Inherited this solitary hen from previous homeowner. Doesn’t seem like she has been under the best of care. She has this white/grey-ish patch under her beak that I’m concerned could be mites or lice? Could also be some old dirt.

Hen survived hawk attack which took out two other birds.

Unsure of age, breed, etc. Has not laid any eggs since we inherited her (5-6 days).

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Inherited this solitary hen from previous homeowner. Doesn’t seem like she has been under the best of care. She has this white/grey-ish patch under her beak that I’m concerned could be mites or lice? Could also be some old dirt.

Hen survived hawk attack which took out two other birds.

Unsure of age, breed, etc. Has not laid any eggs since we inherited her (5-6 days).

Welcome To BYC

She has a beard, I think she may be an Easter Egger.
The best way to determine if the crust is dirt or mites/lice is to pick her up and examine the area carefully.

If it's dirt, then you should be able to i.d. that fairly quickly. If it's lice or mites, you should be able to see nits or crawling bugs.

While you have her up for examination, check around her vent and under her wings for any signs of lice/mites too.

This article will help in knowing what to look for:
https://the-chicken-chick.com/poultry-lice-and-mites-identification/