pale comb

[chickenfan]

One of my middle aged hens has a very ashen slightly swollen comb and I'm just wondering what could be causing this? She is a good weight but is not eating much. She gets plenty of greenery and sunshine so I'm not sure what could have made her so pale.

 

[bigyetiman]

Some hens can get a pale comb as they go into moult, the comb can also shrink quite a lot. Not sure about the swollen side of it, not something I have experienced.
Other causes can be anemia and an illness of some sort, which is about all I know, which isn't a lot of help to you.

 

[Marigold]

How old is “middle aged” and is she a hybrid, Chickenfan?

 

[Icemaiden]

Is it due to the heat?

When I adopt ex-batts, they always have large, pale combs due to the stuffy conditions that they've lived in
... The comb allows the hen to lose heat, so a bigger comb would be a good thing in hot weather.

 

[chickenfan]

Thank you for the replies. She is a 5-6 year old faverolles. I've never had a bird with a very pale comb before. She looks perky but is not eating much and is losing weight. She is starting to moult, as are her sisters, but they have red combs. Perhaps she is anaemic so I'll give her some multivits and worm her.

 

[chickenfan]

The pale comb is now rather flaky and her eyes are a bit swollen.

 

[chickenfan]

I've found the reason for the pale comb - a terrible infestation of red mite in part of the house. At least this is sortable with a steam cleaner!

 

[Marigold]

Oh dear, poor girl - she must have been feeling a bit anaemic. Was she the only one affected, do you think?

 

[rick]

You have to admire them really! Such crafty and covert little stowaways! I know it seems counter-intuitive but I swear by making a perfect gap for them near the perches that can be checked often and easily. This spring they were back for the first time in two years (I had gotten complacent with the perch defences) but gave their game away by being under the movable perch.

 

[bigyetiman]

That's why we went for removable perches. After finding the fixed perch in the coop was a mite magnet at the ends.
I am sure the little devils could survive a nuclear attack.
Glad you got it sussed

 

[chickenfan]

Thankyou. All the birds are having a 'red mite tonic' avalable from Flyte so Fancy. However, only one bird became so pale and frail and is picking up now. I guess the mites liked that bird best. I'm ashamed to say I couldn't believe how many there were and that I'd missed them.

 

[bigyetiman]

Just one of those things that creep up on you if you aren't careful, as my friend found out when she thought she was mite free, only because she looked without her glasses on and didn't see them lurking in the corners

 

[Marigold]

At least you’ll have the upper hand with the mites if the weather stays cooler.

 

[chickenfan]

Many thanks. I thought I'd replied. She's doing much better now and comb is looking pinker by the day. I'm giving them a tonic for birds with red mite. Interestingly they are quarrelsome and I'm sure this must be due to a lack of a mineral as they've never been difficult before.