Hen has hard white lumps on comb, for several months and now a new one has grown

[lookatmyhen]

Hello fellow chicken lovers!

My gorgeous faverolles hen has had several hard white lumps on one of her comb points for quite a long time now. They've gotten slightly larger since they appeared last year (she's 4) but not changed much. In the last few weeks, another has started forming at the back of her comb.

Looking around, the most similar disease I can see is fowl pox, but fowl pox the spots turn brown and fall off within 4 weeks: these have been here since a hot day in Summer 2019 when we thought she may have been sunburned (she HATES having suncream applied).

She's recently had ivermectin as a new pair of hens moved in last month with a case of redmite, and as they had a viral problem, she's been treated alongside them with a week of Baytril and 14 days of tylan soluble, so for the last few days she's also been enjoying live yoghurt.

I don't think any of those have changed her comb, which seems stable, but I thought it was worth mentioning

Also, one of her eyes is a different colour and has a square pupil, so it looks clear she had mareks when she was a chick but recovered and has no problems from it. Again, probably irrelevant.

I'm hoping these are nothing to worry about. She's nice and heavy and strong (a touch under 3kg). She stopped laying eggs a few years ago and now spends every day playing in the garden and every evening sleeping on my chest, happy as can be.

We only have one other hen now, as one of the two new ones passed away - and neither have shown signs of comb problems or fowl pox.
it.

Have a look at the pictures, I'd love an opinion on what it is. I come here to see similar cases whenever I have something to worry about but this one's got me stumped so I thought I should post.

Thank you x

 

[azygous]

How certain are you that she's had actual Marek's symptoms in the past? Has Marek's been confirmed in your flock?

The eye anomaly could be from Marek's since the ocular form causes discoloration and irregular shaped pupil. The white lesions on the comb could also be from Marek's. It does cause cutaneous lesions. Try painting Blu-kote or Betadine on the lesions and see if they dry up.

There is another form of Marek's that causes bumps to occur around the feather follicles. Examine her skin to see if you see such lesions around her feather shafts.

Some chickens develop resistence to Marek's after being exposed, and after being a bit sick, can recover and lead normal lives with good health care. The disease, however, is hideously contagious and it has the capability of escaping the confines of your property unless you practice strict biosecurity.

 

[Eggcessive]

Can you get a picture of the questionable eye? The white bumps on the comb could be a form of fungus or favus, which can be treated with an antifungal cream such as miconazole or clotrimazole, applied daily. Some chickens can get little white bumps of favus, while it can cause a chalky white coating that can affect combs, wattles, and can spread into feathered areas. Here is a mild case:
https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSKztekcAYQxJ5NtAwhQokvFmYaQ4D8jWbiJw&usqp=CAU

This is a more severe form:
https://www.merckvetmanual.com/-/me...comb_chicken_2_crop_high.jpg?thn=0&sc_lang=en

 

[lookatmyhen]

Can you get a picture of the questionable eye?

Sure, you can see one side is orange and more normal, the other side is milkier and not a circular pupil.
(The orange eye is her LEFT eye - it's just that was taken on the selfie lens so m phone flipped it so both photos look like they're of her right eye)

 

[lookatmyhen]

How certain are you that she's had actual Marek's symptoms in the past? Has Marek's been confirmed in your flock?

I replied to Eggcessive with photos of her eyes so you can see what they're like. We got her from a breeder at about a year old, her pupils were like that when we got her (the breeder said she'd not had Mareks but it sure looks like it to us!); she's never displayed other signs like doing the splits etc and we've had her for 4 years now without problems.
We washed her yesterday and had a good look at her feathers and skin and didn't see any unusual bumps around follicles though.
We could try something like betadine - we're in England and I can't find a stockist of that or blu-kote here, would iodine be the same?
I should add, thank you and Eggcessive so much, you're wonderful people to offer help like this x

 

[azygous]

Yes, try iodine. If the lesions are from one of the versions of fowl pox, it can hasten the healing of them.

If you would include your location in your profile, it will show up on your thread. Then we can give you better information in relation to your location.

 

[lookatmyhen]

Yes, try iodine. If the lesions are from one of the versions of fowl pox, it can hasten the healing of them.

If you would include your location in your profile, it will show up on your thread. Then we can give you better information in relation to your location.

I've just ordered some iodine q-tips and updated my profile to include country information. Thanks