Is this from cannabalism or a disease?

[donnacccslp]

Does anyone have any ideas as to what this is? She's a 4 week old Buff Orpington chick. I haven't noticed the 3 other chicks pecking at her, and this is larger than it was last night when I first noticed it. All 4 chicks spent the day in the run yesterday. I noticed this on her head as I was gathering them up to put back in the brooder for the night. It was not there earlier in the day. Thanks for your help!

 

[donnacccslp]

Well, we're still not sure what caused it, but it's getting much better after only a few days. So who knows?

 

[hrhta812]

Ouch! I would suspect they pecked at her. It is hard to say, of course, but it's just instinctive behavior and once one starts, the others join. in. I'm sorry you didn't get any feedback sooner. Things get buried on her quickly. It seems like there are so many new posts on here all the time, I look for something I saw earlier in the day and it's 3 pages back by night time. Popular forum, I guess.

Glad to hear she's improving. Are you using anything on it, like BluKote?

 

[donnacccslp]

Thanks and thank you for your reply. No, I didn't put anything on it, just washed it with warm water after it happened.