WannabeHomsteader
Hatching
- Jun 8, 2025
- 1
- 0
- 2
Hey all,
I'm new to BYC (I'll post introductions later!) and thought I'd ask here for guidance on my pullet.
I have eight 6wk (ish) old bantams from TSC. They've been in a plastic tote with pine shavings, but it's been getting hard to keep clean. Today I was moving them to wire cages lined with pine shavings (temporary just till I can modify the existing coop and run - I'm working on flock integration, and the bantams JUST finished their 30 day new-bird quarantine...) when I noticed this pullet had a lesion on the back of her neck. It is mostly bald, very lumpy (not squishy and soft like fluid-filled, but not rock-hard either), and swollen about 1/4" off her neck (I want to emphasize how prominent it was - it was difficult to capture in photos though). It is spotted with scabby areas. My first thought about the scabs was bullying or maybe self-inflicted scratching, until I noticed the swollen base beneath. No bad/rotten smell, but when I picked off a scab while cleaning her, it was weepy and raw beneath. I don't know how long she's been like this - I handle them fairly often, but I guess I missed this somehow. I treated with Vetericyn spray, followed up with triple antibiotic ointment, and wrapped loosely in elastic tape to prevent picking or scratching.
Other notes:
- She has a very limited appetite. She eats medicated chick starter w/ a top-dress vitamin supplement, and plain water.
- She's pretty "droopy" (not socializing, just laying down in a corner), but I think it's partially because she hates the elastic tape. She was running around more before I treated her.
- The whole flock just came off Corid last week.
- No other broodmates have similar symptoms - one cockerel has mild muscle spasms, but I think that's due to vitamin deficiency from the Corid. I'm treating him with Poultry Cell.
- Her broodmates are pretty feisty. They charge at and chase each other around, especially the (suspected) cockerels, but I have seen no picking, bullying, or outright fighting.
- Conditions here have been hot and VERY humid, and I'll admit that their living space hasn't been super sanitary lately. I have struggled with damp litter from water spills, cleaning it up and finding it messy soon after. I am new to chick raising and doing my best. Their current arrangement should be MUCH cleaner for them, though.
- Treating her myself is my only option.
Any thoughts on what this is and how to treat (besides what I'm already doing)?
I'm new to BYC (I'll post introductions later!) and thought I'd ask here for guidance on my pullet.
I have eight 6wk (ish) old bantams from TSC. They've been in a plastic tote with pine shavings, but it's been getting hard to keep clean. Today I was moving them to wire cages lined with pine shavings (temporary just till I can modify the existing coop and run - I'm working on flock integration, and the bantams JUST finished their 30 day new-bird quarantine...) when I noticed this pullet had a lesion on the back of her neck. It is mostly bald, very lumpy (not squishy and soft like fluid-filled, but not rock-hard either), and swollen about 1/4" off her neck (I want to emphasize how prominent it was - it was difficult to capture in photos though). It is spotted with scabby areas. My first thought about the scabs was bullying or maybe self-inflicted scratching, until I noticed the swollen base beneath. No bad/rotten smell, but when I picked off a scab while cleaning her, it was weepy and raw beneath. I don't know how long she's been like this - I handle them fairly often, but I guess I missed this somehow. I treated with Vetericyn spray, followed up with triple antibiotic ointment, and wrapped loosely in elastic tape to prevent picking or scratching.
Other notes:
- She has a very limited appetite. She eats medicated chick starter w/ a top-dress vitamin supplement, and plain water.
- She's pretty "droopy" (not socializing, just laying down in a corner), but I think it's partially because she hates the elastic tape. She was running around more before I treated her.
- The whole flock just came off Corid last week.
- No other broodmates have similar symptoms - one cockerel has mild muscle spasms, but I think that's due to vitamin deficiency from the Corid. I'm treating him with Poultry Cell.
- Her broodmates are pretty feisty. They charge at and chase each other around, especially the (suspected) cockerels, but I have seen no picking, bullying, or outright fighting.
- Conditions here have been hot and VERY humid, and I'll admit that their living space hasn't been super sanitary lately. I have struggled with damp litter from water spills, cleaning it up and finding it messy soon after. I am new to chick raising and doing my best. Their current arrangement should be MUCH cleaner for them, though.
- Treating her myself is my only option.
Any thoughts on what this is and how to treat (besides what I'm already doing)?
