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.

 

[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.

 

[MplsChickLady]

Thank you for your reply. It is smooth and looks more like exposed skin. My other chic doesn't have it. Could it be just starting to show? New owner here!

 

[Saveria]

I can't really tell exactly where you are seeing it from the picture, but there is a good chance it is a strange normal thing (which happens a lot with chickens from my experience). Is it behind the tuft of feathers on her cheek?

Do you know how old she is? This could just be her getting her second feathers and they are coming in funny. If the skin isn't red or irritated looking, that is another good sign that it is just a random thing.

 

[MplsChickLady]

She's 9 weeks old. Smooth red skin, but not always red! Both sides. Am I being a nervous new owner? So much to learn! Arash would look nastier, right?

I appreciate your help.

 

[Saveria]

I would just watch it closely. Most of the skin on their head is red, so maybe that isn't going to help us here . Post some more pictures if you see any changes, but my guess is that her feathers just came in a little funny and it will fix itself after enough time. Maybe it is an ISA Brown thing, too.

It totally can be overwhelming. I've had them for years and I am still learning. Just try to take it one thing at a time, and if you can read the article that comes out in the BYC Saturday newsletter. Those things have been invaluable to me, and once a week helps you to digest it.

 

[MplsChickLady]

Thank you so much! I appreciate your advice.

 

[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!

 

[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

 

[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.