Exposed Skin Behind Ears on 9-Week Old ISA Brown/Gold Star

[MplsChickLady]

One of my new chicks has bare skin behind her ears. She doesn't seem bothered, is eating. My other chick is fine. Any ideas as to what this might be? I've applied Banixx thinking it is a rash. Advice welcome! Thanks.

 

[NatJ]

One of my new chicks has bare skin behind her ears. She doesn't seem bothered, is eating. My other chick is fine. Any ideas as to what this might be?

I'm just seeing the earlobe.

Some chickens have red earlobes, and others have white earlobes. Yours appears to have red earlobes.

For a good example of earlobes on chickens, I suggest looking at photos of Blue Andalusians. They have colored feathres and white earlobes, so it is really easy to see which part is the earlobe (white featherless patch on each side of the head, bigger on some than on others.)
https://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/CGA/Andal/BRKAndalusians.html

 

[coach723]

It looks normal to me. ISA's are hybrids, or crossbreeds, so development can vary depending on individual genetics. Hormonal fluctuations can cause the level of red to be brighter sometimes.

 

[Saveria]

She was saying that her other ISA doesn't have them, though. I thought she was talking about a spot above the earlobe behind the cheek, but I am not sure.

Let us know if those pictures help, Chick Lady.

 

[Saveria]

Yep, they're just on different timelines. The second girl should start having those in a week or so. The first girl might lay first, too.

I got pullets first thing so they were already there, but I can understand that looking super weird at first!

Let us know if you need anything else

 

[MplsChickLady]

Thank you all. I think I've got new chick mom worries! Your help is appreciated and I'll watch them. Feeling much calmer.

 

[Saveria]

First off, welcome to BYC!

Are you speaking of the little red spot to the lower right? That's just their earlobe, or is it something higher than that spot that you are talking about? It is tricky to see in photos. Here is another photo of an earlobe. Let me know.

 

[Saveria]

Yeah, I hope someone else with ISA brown experience can chime in to say if this is common/normal or not, but I remember lots of strange feather growth here and there that wasn't symptomatic with lots of young and older chickens.

Write again if anything changes, like I said, or if after a day or so something seems not normal to you. Waiting and watching has been a common theme with my flock, for sure.

Glad I could help!

 

[MplsChickLady]

Here's another picture. First one is the girl I'm concerned about. The second is my other chick. Could it be they are developing at different rates?

 

[NatJ]

Here's another picture. First one is the girl I'm concerned about. The second is my other chick. Could it be they are developing at different rates?

Yes, it is quite common for chicks to develop at different rates.

I'm seeing a red earlobe on the first one, while the earlobe on the second one is pretty much invisible in the photo. Both of them look normal to me, with the first one being more mature than the second one.