Wattle... sore? wound? growth? What is this?

[teach619]

Have no idea what happen - or what this is... I tried to get several pictures from several angles... I was able to pull a small feather off it (it was stuck on because it's dirty, it wasn't growing from it.) I sort of pulled it down a little and it was a flesh and red color lump under all that black feathery looking stuff...

I've been reading about wattles all day so maybe this has always looked this way but I'm suddenly noticing it now? Or is this a wound of some sort?

 

[teach619]

I just dug up old pictures... it looks like it's been there all along - although it looks larger now... and dirty... or something..


one month ago:

One month ago:


12 hours ago:

 

[Cochin378]

It looks like a bot.
Look up bot flies.

 

[teach619]

It looks like a bot.
Look up bot flies.

EWWWW - I googled it and I want to throw up.

I was thinking you were right (it rained a bunch in the last couple days and today I was finally able to throw a ton of pine shavings out in the chicken run area (they free range during the day) to dry it up... But I also picked up a big grain block that I bought them and there were tons of maggots and bugs (thanks to my son pouring feed in the holder so the drain holes clogged and the water wasn't draining)....

SO - I was thinking you were right (and freaking out) until I came to respond and looked at the pictures again... In the earlier pictures (from my second post) it looks like it's part of the wattle... same color and such. It's just that now it looks like there is debris stuck to it. I'm wondering if she got in a fight or somehow cut it or something and maybe it's gotten dirt and junk on it when she's been eating.

BUT I will say that when I was able to touch the thing and move it - it did look bigger than the original pictures... so I am wondering if it's swollen under that debris...

I'm thinking about going out there tonight and trying to clean it off...