Possible canker or small pox? Help!

[Smaustin1017]

I have 6 barred rocks that just turned a year old. They free range in a 5600 sq ft grassy fenced area. I noticed the leader of the flock is losing her belly feathers near her crop. She is not broody. I also noticed the bottom chicken in pecking order losing a small amount of feathers below her ears. A few others have tiny bald spots near their combs and I assumed this to be from minor pecking injuries. Yesterday I noticed two small yellow round dots on the roof of ones mouth when she was panting from heat (this chicken has no feather loss or weight loss) all are eating and drinking, bright eyed and running around. None have weight loss. I’ve done a ton of research and found the dots could be from canker or small pox, but not showing any other symptoms. I checked their crops and all of them are small at night and feel soft and watery. No crops are large when going to bed. I have no idea what’s going on or if there is even any cause for concern!? Does any one see any of these signs as a concern? Just summer heat? I ordered metronidazole for the one with the yellow canker like spots and was going to add to the community water since I read this may be contagious but I can’t get any of the others mouths open... any thoughts on all of the above!? Much appreciated!!

 

[Eggcessive]

Welcome to BYC. Yellow spots or plaques inside the beak can be from canker, an protozoan infection spread by pigeons, if it smells rotten. Canker usually has a bad odor. If the yellow plaques do not smell bad they may be from wet fowl pox, not small pox. Do you see any fowl pox scabs in this chicken or any others? Pictures would be good. I normally would not go around looking inside beaks unless they were acting sick and not eating.

What are you feeding your chickens? Do they free range? I would try to get them eating some bits of cooked egg, and some chicken feed, made wet with water. They should have empty crops first thing in the morning, but should be full by bedtime.