Non-Emergency: Need Help with ID of White Chunk on Hen’s Comb

[TheLaboratoryBF]

Hi all, I have an almost 5 year old barred rock hen who weighs approximately 5 lbs. Today, while bathing her (for a poopy bottom), I picked a chunk of white rock-like substance off of her comb. It was embedded in the flesh and left a pockmark on the comb after removal. The chunk was approximately the size of a sunflower seed kernel and reminded me of perlite. She has had them a couple times before over the years but now I’m finally trying to figure out what it is/what’s causing it. I don’t believe it’s fowl pox or favus as her comb is clean, red, and healthy otherwise (see picture taken this afternoon below) and her overall health is good; she eats and drinks well, eyes clear and alert, no nasal discharge, normal breathing.

After taking the pictures below, I broke the chunk up, smelled it (no odor), and it had an outer layer similar to outer layer of a dog’s toenail...wondering if it’s a keratin buildup of some sort?

Any ideas?

 

[aart]

Comb looks great!
Would have been good to see the chunk in place on comb before removal.
Can you cut that chunk in half and take another pic of it?

 

[TheLaboratoryBF]

Comb looks great!
Can you cut that chunk in half and take another pic of it?

I did break it up (took some effort) but already threw it away. It was porous throughout, almost like a pumice stone type texture.

 

[TheLaboratoryBF]

Would have been good to see the chunk in place on comb before removal.

I am heading out after dark to clip toenails of rest of flock, so I will try to get a picture of her comb and pockmark where chunk was (base of comb where tiny feathers at top of head start to grow).

 

[TheLaboratoryBF]

Pockmark left from chunk removal circled in blue.

 

[aart]

Has lump 'grown' in same place every time?
Excellent pic!
Hole looks fairly deep and slightly 'wet?
Sorry, I have no idea what it might be.
Odd that it's pumice like.

 

[TheLaboratoryBF]

Has lump 'grown' in same place every time?
Excellent pic!
Hole looks fairly deep and slightly 'wet?
Sorry, I have no idea what it might be.
Odd that it's pumice like.

Not wet, just smooth. Location varies. It's a mystery to me as well; I searched this site when this first cropped up a few years ago and found nothing (everything that came up for "white spot on comb" was fowl pox or fungus related). She gets one of these "chunks" (for lack of a better word) usually once a year, and I'll eventually pick it off and spray some Vetericyn on it, but since she is generally healthy otherwise, I never give it much thought beyond that. This one is the biggest one yet and I'm now wondering if it might be a calcium buildup coming through this way instead of as egg deposits since she hasn't laid since late summer (age/slow molter)...

 

[aart]

Not wet, just smooth. Location varies. It's a mystery to me as well; I searched this site when this first cropped up a few years ago and found nothing (everything that came up for "white spot on comb" was fowl pox or fungus related). She gets one of these "chunks" (for lack of a better word) usually once a year, and I'll eventually pick it off and spray some Vetericyn on it, but since she is generally healthy otherwise, I never give it much thought beyond that. This one is the biggest one yet and I'm now wondering if it might be a calcium buildup coming through this way instead of as egg deposits since she hasn't laid since late summer (age/slow molter)...

It could be some kind of weird mineral exudation.
Does it grows slowly over time or appear all of a sudden or....?
Does it feel sand/pumice like....might be hard to tell unless you put it in your mouth<cringe>...or rub it on some glass.
Not sure I'd worry about but it certainly trips my curiosity trigger.

 

[TheLaboratoryBF]

It could be some kind of weird mineral exudation.
Does it grows slowly over time or appear all of a sudden or....?
Does it feel sand/pumice like....might be hard to tell unless you put it in your mouth<cringe>...or rub it on some glass.
Not sure I'd worry about but it certainly trips my curiosity trigger.

Grows slowly, definitely not putting it in my mouth (just smelling it took an internal pep talk), outer layer was hard/thick, but once I got through that, it crumbled under enough pressure, like a stale biscuit. Can't do any further tests on it as I tossed it after breaking it apart.

Definitely not worried since she's healthy otherwise; just curious as well.

 

[aart]

Grows slowly, definitely not putting it in my mouth (just smelling it took an internal pep talk), outer layer was hard/thick, but once I got through that, it crumbled under enough pressure, like a stale biscuit. Can't do any further tests on it as I tossed it after breaking it apart.

Definitely not worried since she's healthy otherwise; just curious as well.

Did it smell bad?
Well, maybe next time you can play with it further.