Giant red spot???

[JNorth]

We noticed this spot on one of our hens. She doesn't mind it being touched and it doesn't seem to bother her. It's dry but hot to the touch, although similar to the heat that normally comes from chickens. Any idea what it could be or how I treat her? Do I treat her or just leave her be?

 

[Eggcessive]

How does it feel? Soft, hard, squishy, or any grainy feed felt inside?It is in the same area as her crop where food and water are stored before moving along in the digestive process, so possibly she or another has pulled the feathers out. Make sure that her crop is emptying normally by early morning, or she could have a crop problem that is irritating her. Look her over for any lice or mites or their eggs, especially around her neck, under wings, and around the vent.

 

[JNorth]

Her crop felt fine, full of this mornings feed but not super hard or compacted. She didn't care that I was touching the area or her crop. I checked her over for mites and didn't see anything right away but I will check again. I didn't notice it until this morning when my daughter mentioned that she saw it yesterday. She remarked that it looks better today than it did when she first saw it though.

Is there anything that I can do to keep the other hens from pecking at it. With it being so red, it's like a target on her!

 

[2mnypets]

Buy some Blue Kote to spray on her. It will cover the red bulls eye you are concerned with.

 

[JNorth]

I'm not seeing any signs of mites or lice. I dust with DE regularly, but I cleaned out the nesting boxes and put in a fresh layer of DE under the the hay just in case. I also put a bag in the dust bathing hole for them to use. I watched them for a while and no one seems to be bothering her and she's not picking at it herself.

I'll pick up some Blue Kote to have on hand though in case anyone gets a little pecky.

 

[JNorth]

My husband had a thought... we switched to Agway layer feed from TSC's Dumor layer crumbles last week. Could the red spots be some kind of sensitivity? We've noticed a few more hens with similar but smaller spots. I have gone through every inch of the coop and still no signs of mites. I've looked under the wings and around the necks of each bird and there is no sign of mites or lice. I put out fresh DE and wood ash for dust bathing. Here is the tag from the new feed....

 

[BrownieBrood]

Could they be rubbing on something? Like reaching through a fence or over a board? Is the spot in the same place on the other chickens?

 

[JNorth]

Hmm, that's a good question. It seems to be along the front and underbellies for the most part. I'm not sure what they could be rubbing on since nothing inside there coop or enclosed run has changed in over a year. But I will keep my eye out for that, thanks!