dtanton
In the Brooder
I'm new to chicken raising and have looked at about 1000 photos of roosters and nothing looks quite like what we're seeing on our Big Bird. So here I am, asking you what you think.
Big Bird is 3 months old (today) and we believe he is a white leghorn. He lives in a big run with another 3 month old Roo (the other one is a Spangled Russian Orloff) and they get along fairly well. Some posturing with each other, the occasionally peck, but mostly they seem to play chase for fun. The 3 month old hens are in a completely separate coop and run and they don't free range together.
He was in an unfortunate situation with a dog when he was about a week old and we weren't sure he'd make it due to the top of his head being ripped open. He was completely separated from the flock for several weeks, then moved to an adjacent small coop of his own where he could talk to the others through the hardware cloth. Then when the rooster run was complete a few weeks ago, we integrated him there and he's done great.
He eats and drinks, just fine. Still on chick starter and he has grit and plenty of fresh water plus a pan to stand in to cool off - plenty of shade and some iced bottles added to the cooling water pan if it hits 100F (we're in Florida.) Some treats are given - fresh fruits and vegetables. He runs, he crows, he is interested in new things, once he is sure the new thing is not a dog or someone who is going to pick him up. (Too many days of having a head wound cleaned - he does not want to do that again.)
In the last week or so, we've noticed some dark coloring on his comb and wattle. The dark doesn't rub off and it doesn't feel raised. It's just... dark colored. Is this... mites? Fowl pox? Some pecking that we didn't notice? Something else altogether? Photo attached.
Thanks for any help you can provide.
Big Bird is 3 months old (today) and we believe he is a white leghorn. He lives in a big run with another 3 month old Roo (the other one is a Spangled Russian Orloff) and they get along fairly well. Some posturing with each other, the occasionally peck, but mostly they seem to play chase for fun. The 3 month old hens are in a completely separate coop and run and they don't free range together.
He was in an unfortunate situation with a dog when he was about a week old and we weren't sure he'd make it due to the top of his head being ripped open. He was completely separated from the flock for several weeks, then moved to an adjacent small coop of his own where he could talk to the others through the hardware cloth. Then when the rooster run was complete a few weeks ago, we integrated him there and he's done great.
He eats and drinks, just fine. Still on chick starter and he has grit and plenty of fresh water plus a pan to stand in to cool off - plenty of shade and some iced bottles added to the cooling water pan if it hits 100F (we're in Florida.) Some treats are given - fresh fruits and vegetables. He runs, he crows, he is interested in new things, once he is sure the new thing is not a dog or someone who is going to pick him up. (Too many days of having a head wound cleaned - he does not want to do that again.)
In the last week or so, we've noticed some dark coloring on his comb and wattle. The dark doesn't rub off and it doesn't feel raised. It's just... dark colored. Is this... mites? Fowl pox? Some pecking that we didn't notice? Something else altogether? Photo attached.
Thanks for any help you can provide.
