Pale combs

rick

rick

Active member
Joined
Aug 31, 2014
Messages
1,905
Reaction score
6
Location
Warwickshire UK
Hi folks,
Is it normal that all three of my hens have a pale bloom on their combs this time of year. I've searched around the net a bit and if it was only one I'd think there was an issue there but its all three. I had only 2 eggs the other day so maybe their all going slightly off lay? - which I wouldn't mind but they don't seem to be slowing down much!
 
We had Pedigree Leghorns that used to show the same symptoms approaching Winter Rick. Their large combs would shrink, go pale and the skin would thicken and flake off. Presume it was a mechanism to save body heat. We used to put Vaseline on them. So perhaps you have some kind of Leghorn cross?
 
Do you NN they have a pale whitefish bloom on red combs, or that their combs seem to have shrunk and become pink rather than red? Pink combs are or Al for hens that have moulted and gone off lay for a few weeks during winter.
Most probably nothing to worry about, though.
 
Looks like a white bloom on a red comb. I'll keep an eye on them but shedding the top layer of skin now its colder seems to fit. Maybe they've shrunk a bit, the combs were getting pretty impressive a few weeks ago. Thanks - Vaseline at the ready! (trust chickens to provide funny tasks on the do list:)
 
Marigold said:
Do you NN they have a pale whitefish bloom on red combs, or that their combs seem to have shrunk and become pink rather than red? Pink combs are or Al for hens that have moulted and gone off lay for a few weeks during winter.
Most probably nothing to worry about, though.
Click to expand...

Oh dear, ruddy autospeller struck again on this I'm afraid. Meant to say 'do you mean they have a pale whiteish bloom on red combs,' and 'pale combs are normal for hens out of lay.'
I don't think Vaseline will be necessary unless the temperature drops well below freezing.
 
The Vaseline was to soften the skin Marigold and stop it from splitting. Nothing to do with temperature protection in this case.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Back
Top