Polish hen-very red around beak, beak itself is getting darker (black)

[bondgrl001]

My hen is 7 months old. Not laying yet. Very active. Behavior is normal. Eating is normal. She eats layer pellets, and occasional treats like spinach, collards, greens,etc.
Manure is normal. But the past several days I noticed the redness and it seems to be getting worse. She lives with a favoralle (her buddy) and a Orpington hen. She lives in a 4x6 chicken tractor but is free range during the day. The only change lately is weather has gotten below zero and I bring my chickens in the house. I have a pen indoors.
Thought I would ask on here to see if it's something simple. If not, she will be going to vet. This is my first time raising chickens. Got the 3 chickens in September, Polly was 14 weeks. These chickies are my pets.

Please help if you got any experience in this.

The pic on left is now. Pic on right is normal.

 

[Eggcessive]

Welcome to BYC. I don't mean to sound silly, but are you sure that it's a pullet? It's such a small comb to get frostbite. Has there been any pecking going on?

 

[bondgrl001]

She was 14 weeks when I got her and she wasn't as big and fancy as the roosters. She still isn't as fancy and she makes little hen noises. Guess I won't know until she is old enough to start laying. Which I estimate to be around April. She shouldn't have frostbite because I have brought her in weather 20 degrees or below.

Thanks for the welcome. I have been a member since September but first time I have posted.

 

[bondgrl001]

Even tho I live way out in the country, surrounded by farms, there are no poultry vets to be found. One farm vet who does everything except chickens said he would give me some antibiotics, Baytril, to try for a few days. So I guess that is my only option for now.

 

[bondgrl001]

On my 2nd day of antibiotics. Giving .2cc of it sub Q near the breast plate. The redness and irritation seems to be subsiding. Blackness is still there of course. I suspect it will take a while for it to disappear. Its all good but it would have been nice to know what and how this all came about.