CatsandCrops
Songster
We have been out of town on vacation since 7/9/21 (today is the 18th) - that morning I did my final checks of the chicken coops (two coops - one holding 7 hens, the one in question lives here, who are about 1 year and 5 months old. The other coop has 5 hens who were born in March) and everything was status quo. They are in a large secured run (roof included that provides shelter from rain) and do not free range. We close/open the coop doors daily (6a-7a and then 9p-10ish) They have two outdoor waterers. My father stayed at our house to care for the chickens/dog/cat. He filled waterers daily and their feeders inside the coop hold about 12 days worth of food. He said they were entertaining and would all come running in the evenings to him hoping for veggie scraps etc. It rained non stop while we were gone and our backyard is half woods, leading down into a river.
We got back last night and everyone seemed 100% normal when I went out to check on them/check for eggs/close them in the for night (we got back after dusk and it wasn't the best lighting). Today while refilling their feeders and tidying up the coop I noticed this large growth on the side of one of the hen's beaks. All of them had ran around like crazies to eat the meal worms I threw to distract while I filled the feeders. She came into the coop to lay when I was finishing up and that's when I noticed the growth/blister. I also gave them all weeds from the garden this morning and same thing - everyone ran around eating/pecking - so I don't think she's having issues eating/drinking.
I came inside to research and when I went back out to take a picture she was all cozy in the nesting box - very appalled I was bothering her to take a photos. Her comb appears to be normal/regular coloring. She does not have any issues in either eye. I thoroughly checked all the other hens and no one has any growths, bumps or odd coloring.
Could this be fowl pox? A tumor? A pecking wound that got infected? Etc? I'm angry at myself because I feel like I missed something before we left - it's hard to believe something so large could grow in a little over a week.
We got back last night and everyone seemed 100% normal when I went out to check on them/check for eggs/close them in the for night (we got back after dusk and it wasn't the best lighting). Today while refilling their feeders and tidying up the coop I noticed this large growth on the side of one of the hen's beaks. All of them had ran around like crazies to eat the meal worms I threw to distract while I filled the feeders. She came into the coop to lay when I was finishing up and that's when I noticed the growth/blister. I also gave them all weeds from the garden this morning and same thing - everyone ran around eating/pecking - so I don't think she's having issues eating/drinking.
I came inside to research and when I went back out to take a picture she was all cozy in the nesting box - very appalled I was bothering her to take a photos. Her comb appears to be normal/regular coloring. She does not have any issues in either eye. I thoroughly checked all the other hens and no one has any growths, bumps or odd coloring.
Could this be fowl pox? A tumor? A pecking wound that got infected? Etc? I'm angry at myself because I feel like I missed something before we left - it's hard to believe something so large could grow in a little over a week.