beak issue

Hello everyone!

We’re new to raising chickens and have 7 buff orpingtons that are about 10 weeks old now. I recently noticed one of them has a dark gap or something going on near her nostrils. She otherwise seems healthy and none of the others have this. I looked inside her beak and found nothing unusual in there, just on the outside. Any ideas what this could be and what to do about it? It almost seems like it could be a bacteria or fungus, or maybe just a beak injury of sorts.

More details:

Since day one, we seem to always have 1 girl with issues. We named her Struggles. It started with pasty butt. Then from that, she was a little smaller than the rest (still held her own with the rest though). Then one got pecked in the neck and was bleeding. Then one had a dark colored bump on her beak (possibly the same bird. We can’t actually tell them apart except for one that we think may be a rooster). I tried to scratch off the bump but it seemed attached, so I left it. Now I cant find the bump on any beaks, but one has this new issue. I’m wondering if it’s Struggles struggling away this whole time. Maybe she’s got an issue inside that hasn’t been taken care of and is affecting her differently as time progresses?

Any advice is appreciated! Hoping this isnt an issue that progresses or spreads to the others.

Thank you
-Brody

If she's not exhibiting other symptoms, I would guess it's just an injury. Maybe from getting her beak caught in a small opening or on a wire or something.

If she starts shaking her head and/or rubbing her beak excessively, it could be mites.

There is a discussion on backyard chickens about a similar looking beak.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/injury-to-base-of-beak-possible-trauma-or-frostbite-no-big-deal.281489/

They talk about the possibility of mites, fungus, frostbite in high humidity, and dryness as other possible causes.

Amy Arnett wrote:If she's not exhibiting other symptoms, I would guess it's just an injury. Maybe from getting her beak caught in a small opening or on a wire or something.

If she starts shaking her head and/or rubbing her beak excessively, it could be mites.

There is a discussion on backyard chickens about a similar looking beak.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/injury-to-base-of-beak-possible-trauma-or-frostbite-no-big-deal.281489/

They talk about the possibility of mites, fungus, frostbite in high humidity, and dryness as other possible causes.

I have 1/2” hardware “cloth” (wire fencing) in several spots on the coop, and I thought maybe she was pecking through it and damaged her beak that way. I just don’t know why she would be the only one and what to do abut it.

I dont know what mite damage looks like, but also wonder why she would be the only one. Could be though, since I think dust baths are their counter to mites and we have a dust bath dilemma! It’s a frozen chunk of mud right now so I need to thaw it and put the contents into something with drainage holes. And then put it under the coop to stay dry.

We’ve had one night around 19 degrees, but I think the coop should have good ventilation so I hope it isn’t frostbite.

I’ll check out the link you provided. Thanks for the help!

You could put a little DE on it just in case.  It can't do any harm.  Just don't put enough to make a cloud that she could breathe in.

Trace Oswald wrote:You could put a little DE on it just in case.  It can't do any harm.  Just don't put enough to make a cloud that she could breathe in.

I only have Safer brand DE for pest control and I don’t think its food grade. But I’m going to try to find some asap and add some to their dust bath and the coop floor in general