Frostbite

[Nicos]

I've noticed that Betty's comb is slightly darkened at its tips..could this be a touch of frostbite?
It's been like that a couple of weeks- and no- I've not used Vaseline...am I a bad mummmy????

She's got black and grey speckled feathers - are their combs always red coloured????( the wattle is fine)

Urmm..will it always be marked now- or will it peel and recover?? All the other gals and boys are fine!

[shirlthegirl43]

Comb colour will change while a hen is broody - I assumed it would go paler but I am probably wrong. I would think it will recover - one of ours had a scabby bit on her comb but it seems to be better now.

[CoraxAurata]

I think it will recover ok - possibly depends how dark it is... a little darkening at the tips can just be cold (like our lips turning blue...) but it does mean if the weather isn't better where you are it would be wise to put some vaseline on now, if its only because its cold the vaseline (and a little massage?) would reduce the chances of being a little cold becoming frost bite... strangely even though my older hens have silly floppy combs they have shown no sign of suffering from the cold even here!

[Henschool]

Hiya,

Keep an eye on that comb as darkening at the tips can be a sign or an infection starting up. If it looks purple and she becomes off colour then she needs to be seen by the vet asap.

[CoraxAurata]

Hey Nicos hows Betty?

[Nicos]

Just the same...shops don't open here until tomorrow- so I'll go and get some Vaseline then. It's warmish and wet at the moment so I've pushed the door almost closed so there shouldn't be much of a draught.
Comb's no worse...I should take a photo so you can see it. It's not bad...but it's not the same colour as the other birds.

She doesn't look ill- just sitting on her eggs and munching whatever I put in front of her.

[janeyo]

I was told that unless it's a cockeral with a large comb etc then they should be fine.

[Nicos]

Think I've got a photo somewhere...

- see it's not bad- but there are certainly dark grey marks at the tips.

[Glutton4...]

Aaaaaaah she's lovely!

[CoraxAurata]

She's a bonny girl, as shes broody (have I got that right?) and the comb often goes a bit pale then (I'm guess it has to do with reduced blood flow in the comb - I have a theory that its their equivilent of not wearing makeup so the boys don't pay them as much attention <g>) maybe it makes her a little more susceptible to the cold.

The infection thing got me worried 'cos my freinds cockeral has a touch of blue on his comb - now coated with vaseline and now I'm wondering if theres something else wrong... - it was minus 5 here last night!