Yikes! Nasty cyst on cheek! ***graphic***

[natemoore1986]

I had to cull her today. I was going to do that eventually after my order of new pullets grows up, but she was gasping for breath. I didn’t want to eat her because no telling what this disease is.

Any clues?

By the way, I’ve had chickens for eight years, and this was the first time I had to kill one (predators took most of my first flock before I wised up and bought a Pull-it Shut coop door). I used the broomstick method. I pulled her head clean off, but it was a quick and I’m assuming painless death.

I got the pull force right on the next and subsequent culls. They kept their heads.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Sorry about your hen.
It would be really hard to know unless you sent that off for diagnostics or possibly cut it open.
Did you notice if there was canker or lesions inside the beak?

 

[roosterhavoc]

Serious disease right there! The rest of her just disappeared!!

 

[Lnzsmith]

I just want to say this could be avian TB. We are having to cull our flock due to one hen having this, it presented as an ocular lesion and when we had it removed, the pathology report indicated avian TB. Not a great thing to have in your flock as it is zoonotic. A devastating diagnosis for us.

 

[natemoore1986]

I just want to say this could be avian TB. We are having to cull our flock due to one hen having this, it presented as an ocular lesion and when we had it removed, the pathology report indicated avian TB. Not a great thing to have in your flock as it is zoonotic. A devastating diagnosis for us.

I hope not, but the old flock is separated from the new flock by chicken wire at least.