Fowl pox, bug bites, or just injuries?

[Random Fluffy Chicken]

My hen didn’t have these scabs for long, maybe a week or so? They only appear on her comb and wattles. Will they fall off on their own? Or will I need to rub something on them?

 

[azygous]

The spots on comb and wattles are signs of minor disagreements among her chicken pals. But those crusty lesions around the right nare do need cleaning out. It may be from an injury, has she ever worn pinless peepers? Or it might be from a previous or ongoing respiratory infection.

Apply mineral oil or coconut oil to soften the crust. Use a Q-tip dipped in oil to clean in and around the nares. Working on a chicken's face will make them nervous, so it's best to cover her eyes while you clean the nares. Finish up with a fresh coating of oil in the nares. Then keep an eye on her for any fresh discharge that might indicate a chronic respiratory infection.

Bet you didn't think you get a surprise like this. Reminds me of when my dad went to the ER to get a boil on his butt lanced and he ended up getting diagnosed with a heart attack. (True story)

 

[Random Fluffy Chicken]

Oh, actually, this may sound bad but she is actually my only chicken. We had another one, but unfortunately she passed last year. I know that chickens do much better in pairs or groups since they are social birds, my family is trying to find a friend for her, until then I just want to give her lots of attention.

Wow, I see, a respiratory infection huh...that reminds me, she has been sneezing a bit, usually towards noon, she is showing no other signs of a respiratory infection though so I don’t know if that’s it. She never wore pinless peepers either. She does get to free range daily if the weather is nice so it’s possible it’s an injury. Can I use any other oils? What about vegetable oil? Sorry I’m kind of new at this.

 

[azygous]

It may be only dirt clogging her nares and that would be a good reason she would sneeze - do try to clear them out. Use any oil as long as it's not petroleum based to soften the crust. (Petroleum jelly is okay) It's tender just as the inside of your nose is, so be gentle.

Do you have mosquitoes? They can cause fowl pox, although the spots look more like minor injuries.

A bit of chicken psychology for you. Chickens need the proximity of other chickens to feel content and have a sense of well being. That is not to be confused with friendship. You can give her another chicken and she will benefit greatly from it, but she and the chicken may decided not to be friends or even be cordial. Sometimes chickens hit it off immediately, and some take years to bond. I have a pair of elderly chickens in my flock of 21 and they were enemies when they were young. Now at age 12 and 13 years, they are practically joined at the hip.

 

[Random Fluffy Chicken]

It may be only dirt clogging her nares and that would be a good reason she would sneeze - do try to clear them out. Use any oil as long as it's not petroleum based to soften the crust. (Petroleum jelly is okay) It's tender just as the inside of your nose is, so be gentle.

Do you have mosquitoes? They can cause fowl pox, although the spots look more like minor injuries.

A bit of chicken psychology for you. Chickens need the proximity of other chickens to feel content and have a sense of well being. That is not to be confused with friendship. You can give her another chicken and she will benefit greatly from it, but she and the chicken may decided not to be friends or even be cordial. Sometimes chickens hit it off immediately, and some take years to bond. I have a pair of elderly chickens in my flock of 21 and they were enemies when they were young. Now at age 12 and 13 years, they are practically joined at the hip.

Thank you for the explanation. I have vasaline and a few other oils so I’ll use one of those.

There’s no mosquitos in my area yet, its just turning Spring this month. Mosquitos come out in hotter temperatures right? The hottest day I had recently was only in the low 70s. The rest of the week was mostly 60s and low 40s at night. I think that her comb injuries are just from exploring and foraging around all day. She is pretty curious and pecks at literally anything so she might have gotten into some trouble.

That last part was very interesting! I never thought about it that way. I heard that a companion her for age or older would be good so I’ll continue looking for another hen until I find one. The hen in the picture, Cami, was not too friendly with my other hen, who passed last year. They weren’t too close, but they probably felt content with one another.