Fowl pox? Some other skin infection?

[Biologrady]

I have a 3 year old barred rock with comb that looks just like this! I tried to take a picture of her, but this image on backyard chickens is much better (thank you!) The scabs are black, not really raised or colored around the edges at all like other picture images I've seen. If it was just the tips, I'd be figuring she somehow got frostbite. They bleed really easily... My coop is like a crime scene! I thought at first this was damage from "discipline" from the other hens (she is low girl in my flock of 5), but it came out of nowhere and frankly I do not see enough abuse to cause this. So I'm thinking pox, but it's not exactly mosquito season, she's the only infected one (we're about 3 weeks into this), not acting sick and eating and laying great. It's also just her comb, not the rest of her face) just wondered if anyone else can confirm this is the look of "dry" pox; I'd hate to find out it was a different kind of infection that I should have treated. As it is, I have applied blukote once and tonight smeared her with antibiotic ointment.

 

[Eggcessive]

It looks like pecking.I would hang around during the day and watch for a bully. Make sure that she is not sick, since chickens will pick on a weak member.

 

[dawg53]

They may be mites. Putting antibiotic ointment on them should smother them. You also need to do a close inspection of her vent to look for mites in that area, as well as the rest of her body.

 

[Biologrady]

Stumped. No mites. Not frostbite. (Scabs are scattered all over comb, not only at tips and doesn't swell). Other hens show nothing like this. Some spots heal, new spots start. Guess I should just hope it passes. I have her separated for now, if it improves I'll have to take a closer look at the bite theory, but I doubtful. Thanks.

 

[dawg53]

Since it's not mites, she's getting picked on as the lowest hen in the pecking order. I would bet that it happens when they go to roost for the night and/or when she's around the feeders.

 

[Ashes168]

It looks like pecking. My hen Piper gets the same thing but not as bad as that. It could be infected?