Rooster with weird things on his face

[fezmo]

Ulrich, my Rhode Island Red rooster, has some weird scab-type things on his face. They looked really puffy at first and i thought maybe he had been bit by a insect or something. His behavior was normal, he was eating, walking around, crowing, and still mating with the hens. Now, the bumps on his face aren't as swollen. There aren't any new ones, but the present ones are not going away. Yesterday i noticed that his comb and wattles had shrunk at bit. I did not hear him crowing this morning and he seems less active. Maybe it's because he started molting, but i'm worried about his face. If anyone knows what this is, please let me know. The picture isn't clear, but there are more bumps on the side facing the camera and on the other side of his face.

 

[MROO]

I'm not sure about the bumps, but poor Ulrich needs his beak trimmed. He may be less active and felling "off" because he can't eat properly. It's easy to do and I know there are some good how-to's in the Articles section here on BYC. I use guillotine dog nail clippers to nip our beaks back. Your boy's beak is so long, though, that you should probably just nip back half of the overhang to make sure you don't cut into the quick. You can wait another week to do the other half. Until then, make sure he's eating. Wetting his feed may make it easier for him to pick up.
Good Luck with him. He sure is a handsome boy!

 

[ValerieJ]

It is possibly fowl pox. Not sure yet. If it turns black, then probably. If not that, it could be pecking scabs.

 

[Henry&Friends]

Combs and wattles shrink during the molt, and get bigger during spring again. I’m not sure about the spots, they make me worry about fowl box. Your rooster needs his beak trimmed, he might not be able to eat. Here’s an article on trimming beaks, claws and spurs https://backyardpoultry.iamcountryside.com/feed-health/how-to-trim-chicken-beaks-claws-and-spurs/

 

[Wyorp Rock]

They looked really puffy at first and i thought maybe he had been bit by a insect or something. His behavior was normal, he was eating, walking around, crowing, and still mating with the hens. Now, the bumps on his face aren't as swollen. There aren't any new ones, but the present ones are not going away. Yesterday i noticed that his comb and wattles had shrunk at bit. I did not hear him crowing this morning and he seems less active. Maybe it's because he started molting

Good suggestions from everyone! I agree, start working on trimming the beak so he can eat/drink better.
If he's molting, then he's probably not feeling too well at that this, a lot of birds don't eat well during molt either. I usually give mine an extra protein treat like egg or meat. He may also benefit from a direct dose of poultry vitamins once a week as well.

Hard to tell about the scabs. If there was initially some swelling, but that has gone away it sounds like he's healing fine. Dry Fowl Pox does come to mind - it will resolve on it's own in a few weeks.

 

[333113]

I have to say, this year was so wet, we were afflicted with sand fleas for the first time, because of local flooding. That's exactly how the combs look when bitten by sand fleas. They also leave red spots on people that are really similar to chigger bites. I had to switch to wearing boots to avoid being bitten all over my ankles!

Unlike fowl poxes, chickens with sand flea bites continue to act normal, are lively, and eat and drink just fine. The black scabs fall off and the bites heal completely within a few days. (Unless, of course, they continue to be bitten!)

The sand fleas like wet mud. Unfortunately, the ones biting my birds were living at a neighbor's house and he couldn't be bothered to cover up the mud they were breeding in.

My vet recommended vaseline spread thick on the combs and wattles, the way you would to prevent frostbite. He also recommended A&D or antibiotic ointment for bites already in progress. He said not to use the antibiotic ointment with pain relief, as it's not good for chickens or any other birds. However, I used the pain relief version for me, and it was great!

 

[fezmo]

Okay! Thanks for all the feedback! I will trim his beak today!