Young Sussex with red/bleeding leg(s) and discoloured and swollen ear lobe

[BMONoire]

I am new to the lovely life of all things chicken and I have 4, 22 wk old Sussex who have just started to lay this past week (I am not sure if ALL 4 are laying yet). Last week my smallest chicken, who is also the sweetest one who likes to go for walks with me and get pet, was getting bullied by the others. They kept chasing and pecking at her and she was going out of her way to give them their space, which was difficult in their coop/run, so I let them all out to roam the yard while I sat near by (which I often do). The bullying has since stopped but my books say that chickens may bully another is they are weak or sick and since this behaviour seemed to come out of nowhere I didn't know what to make of it until now. I have been away for 3 days and my husband has been tending to them. Today I noticed that my sweet girl had one leg that was bleeding and the other has turned a bit red. I washed her legs and dabbed them with alcohol to clean them up. I gave her a good looking over this evening and noticed one of her ear lobes is discoloured and swollen. Neither of her lobes are very red, or red at all, while the other chickens are VERY red. Her comb and wattles are also very small compared to the others but are not discoloured minus a few dark spots on her comb, which I have chalked up to the others pecking her. She was also walking around today with her mouth open but since it was very hot day I just made sure there was lots of fresh water out for her. It has cooled off nicely now and she is still keeping her mouth open though. She's still eating and drinking as normal.

I have since moved her into a separate area from the others incase she is contagious and so I can keep a closer eye on her. I have given her food and water but does she need anything else? I don't want her to be lonely and stressed out from being alone for the night.

I have attached the best photos I could get and would greatly appreciate any information you all could give. Even if it's just that I'm paranoid and everything about her is normal.

 

[azygous]

She's a bit young for leg mites, but it is a possibility. I would spray the legs with Betadine or Vetericyn and let dry, then coat them with Vaseline. Do the same for the ear lobes.

Another possibility is that these symptoms are nothing more than hormones associated with onset of laying. Treating the legs and ear lobs as recommended can't hurt anything.

 

[BMONoire]

She's a bit young for leg mites, but it is a possibility. I would spray the legs with Betadine or Vetericyn and let dry, then coat them with Vaseline. Do the same for the ear lobes.

Another possibility is that these symptoms are nothing more than hormones associated with onset of laying. Treating the legs and ear lobs as recommended can't hurt anything.

Thank you for the advice, I went out and got Betadine and Vaseline this morning. Her legs seem a bit better today, no fresh bleeding. I hope this just a hormonal issue as you said it may be. Thanks again azygous.