Sick? Injured? Definitely Concerned.

[Pater est Pullis]

One of my hens is developing fowl pox, while looking over the others, I found a hen with a enlarged/discolored earlobe (whitish in color), the left side earlobe is not enlarged, but is slightly discolored. Additionally, she shakes her head. So far, she's the only Isa showing these symptoms. Nose is clear, vent feathers are clean.

Here's a hen with a healthy earlobe.

I do have a Bantam, of indeterminate age, that no longer lays, with whitish lobes, but am unsure if that's not her natural color. She came with the property when we purchased and never warmed up to me, we give each other a wide berth.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I would inspect that more closely.
Does the skin look dry or powdery?
Look inside the ear - is there any discharge, dirt/debris, tick or pus?

 

[Julie Hadley]

One of my hens is developing fowl pox, while looking over the others, I found a hen with a enlarged/discolored earlobe (whitish in color), the left side earlobe is not enlarged, but is slightly discolored. Additionally, she shakes her head. So far, she's the only Isa showing these symptoms. Nose is clear, vent feathers are clean.
View attachment 1279800 View attachment 1279801 View attachment 1279802 View attachment 1279804 View attachment 1279805
Here's a hen with a healthy earlobe.
View attachment 1279809
I do have a Bantam, of indeterminate age, that no longer lays, with whitish lobes, but am unsure if that's not her natural color. She came with the property when we purchased and never warmed up to me, we give each other a wide berth.
View attachment 1279812

Fowl Pox is contagious. She needs to be separated from the flock, and may require a vaccine. It is caused by a virus. Three of my girls just came down with fowl pox yesterday. I will most likely have to inoculate all of them. It is not spread to humans I read on the internet. Good luck. I have a vet appointment tomorrow, and will try an post what he tells me about it. Good luck.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Fowl Pox is contagious. She needs to be separated from the flock, and may require a vaccine. It is caused by a virus. Three of my girls just came down with fowl pox yesterday. I will most likely have to inoculate all of them. It is not spread to humans I read on the internet. Good luck. I have a vet appointment tomorrow, and will try an post what he tells me about it. Good luck.View attachment 1279939

This looks like pecking wounds and possibly a few fly bites.

 

[Pater est Pullis]

I would inspect that more closely.
Does the skin look dry or powdery?
Look inside the ear - is there any discharge, dirt/debris, tick or pus?

The girls have become really flighty over the last three weeks, I don't know why, they used to greet me at the door, now they keep their distance, I think it may be learned from the Bantam. I tried to get a closer look at the hen in question, no luck, I'll try to check her out in the coop tonight.

 

[micstrachan]

The girls have become really flighty over the last three weeks, I don't know why, they used to greet me at the door, now they keep their distance, I think it may be learned from the Bantam. I tried to get a closer look at the hen in question, no luck, I'll try to check her out in the coop tonight.

Have they molted? My girls are all stand off-ish during molt.

 

[Pater est Pullis]

Have they molted? My girls are all stand off-ish during molt.

I was wondering about that, they have not molted yet, they're about 17 weeks old. There's plenty of feathers in the coop, figured they were just shedding winter feathers.

 

[Pater est Pullis]

Tried to check hen, last night, no luck she was two rows in and facing away from me. The girls were starting to get a little agitated by the flashlight, on that note, would they be less likely to wake if I used a red light filter?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Yes, a red light filter works well. I have a headlamp that has a red light option. Also have a 25W light bulb on a dimmer in the coop - a lot depends on what I'm doing.

Catching a chicken at night is easiest.

Looking at your photos, it's really hard to tell what's going on with the earlobe, but swelling like that is sometimes infection or it could be a cyst or tumor. The white looks like dry skin, but still hard to tell. When you catch her up, if you can have a helper, that would be good - more photos are always welcome too

 

[Pater est Pullis]

It looks like it may have been a peck wound, it's looking much better, and the swelling is much smaller.