Black on comb only, frostbite in summer?

[Lerdawerd]

Hello!

Edit: may have black spots appearing towards the bottom of wattle if you look at the close up picture below. Poop seems to be normal, not runny or anything unless cecal poop.

So, a bit of backstory. A girl I worked with had bought two chicks for her kids as family pets and they were kept inside the house even as they feathered out, and were pooping all over the place and would eat their poop everyday, and they were fed things like nacho cheese, etc.. her landlord showed up and said she needed to get rid of the remaining rooster(one died). She asked if I could take it because I live in the country so I talked to one of my friends who had chickens and he said he would take him. when I made it back home with the rooster I guess he had changed his mind so I tried to find him a home oh, that didn't work, so we built a coop in a little yard and he's been our pet ever since. He is about 6 months old, and I was told he was a rooster when he was given to me.
I am inexperienced with chickens, and now I'm starting to wonder if he is a hen? Or maybe a rooster that doesn't feel so good. He is on pellet feed for his age, he seems to eat it well, he does get free range food as a snack or treat along with mealworms, and he free ranges out in the yard all day. His comb is very small, and whenever I look up pictures black australorps, which is what I think he is, he almost looks more like the hens? I do not have any other chickens to compare him to.

A few weeks ago, maybe a month or so I started to notice little black spots on his comb, it didn't seem to be bothering him and I didn't think anything was wrong or that that was abnormal at the time it does look more black now than it did then, very slowly, and so I was wondering is he growing hair or something so I googled and I found that maybe it could be frostbite. is it normal for chickens to get frostbite in the summer? We have not had very low temps may be the lowest I've seen was 35 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit. his coop is not very well insulated so we are going to try to get that fixed on Sunday, but even while it was cool out one night, I poked my head in his coop and it actually seems kind of warm so I figured it wasn't cold enough to affect him even with the uninsulated coop.

Can someone experienced please help give me some advice, I bought a natural salve to put on his comb in case it's frostbite, but does anybody else agree that this is frostbite in the summer? Also, do you more experienced think that this may be a hen that due to frostbite may be sick and not laying eggs yet, or do you believe that this is a rooster who is comb is not growing due to frostbite?
thank you in advance for any help or advice given, I feel seriously bad about not looking up the black on his comb earlier and being more diligent about it.

 

[mixedUPturk]

I can help by saying that is def a pullet. Boy theyd have had a shock if she laid an egg thanks for getn her out of their House, and u gotta get her some friends if she comes out of this well. There are other illnesses that do that to the comb though its not likely to be frostbite. Someone more knowledgeable about diseases will chime in soon im sure.

 

[Lerdawerd]

I can help by saying that is def a pullet. Boy theyd have had a shock if she laid an egg thanks for getn her out of their House, and u gotta get her some friends if she comes out of this well. There are other illnesses that do that to the comb though its not likely to be frostbite. Someone more knowledgeable about diseases will chime in soon im sure.

Thank you so much! We are so happy he is a she! Lol! She is still a happy chicken, she has had more of an attitude lately because of whatever is going on I think. I just bought the salve so I will wait to use it incase it's not frostbite and some other disease. I maybe should've mentioned that I do give her once a week probiotic / vitamin water but maybe I should have it available every day if she is I'll. I'm I'm so sad she is sick she is usually so happy and a good chicken we love her. I think we will get chicks in the next week or two now that they are available locally and brood them in the garage until she is feeling better. Idk if I even used the correct terminology!

 

[mixedUPturk]

Thank you so much! We are so happy he is a she! Lol! She is still a happy chicken, she has had more of an attitude lately because of whatever is going on I think. I just bought the salve so I will wait to use it incase it's not frostbite and some other disease. I maybe should've mentioned that I do give her once a week probiotic / vitamin water but maybe I should have it available every day if she is I'll. I'm I'm so sad she is sick she is usually so happy and a good chicken we love her. I think we will get chicks in the next week or two now that they are available locally and brood them in the garage until she is feeling better. Idk if I even used the correct terminology!

Your so welcome and no one will mind if its not perfect terminology im sure you will get all the answers you need here and us talking a bit might be able to help the real knowledgable people get through some of the simpler things like the vits your giving her hoping to make up for the poor diet before what kind of feed is she getting? Theyll need to know that. How old abouts is she? If they had her for 6 months im surprised she hasnt laid for you yet after you've had her at least the month since you noticed the black comb tips. Is she was a he she would have pointy "hackle" feathers around the neck and "saddle" feathers on her back at her tail base so im Sure of her being a her at least.

 

[Lerdawerd]

Your so welcome and no one will mind if its not perfect terminology im sure you will get all the answers you need here and us talking a bit might be able to help the real knowledgable people get through some of the simpler things like the vits your giving her hoping to make up for the poor diet before what kind of feed is she getting? Theyll need to know that. How old abouts is she? If they had her for 6 months im surprised she hasnt laid for you yet after you've had her at least the month since you noticed the black comb tips. Is she was a he she would have pointy "hackle" feathers around the neck and "saddle" feathers at her tail base so im Sure of her being a her at least.

I got her April 27th and they said she was about 5-6 weeks, so I have had her almost 4 months. I forget the crumble chick starter brand she was on but now she is on Purina Premium Layena pellets with prebiotics, probiotics and oyster, calcium, manganese (idk if they all have that or if it's relevant), Pecking Order brand free range feed with boonworms, and Pecking Order brand dried mealworms, Dumor poultry grit, Durvet brand vitamins and probiotics.

I try to make sure most of her feed is the pellets, and add the free range and mealworms to the pellets for treats. About less than a quarter of the pellets is what I put for the treats and it's mixed in. I also have poppy seeds that it says "supports digestion" and I sprinkle that over the feed maybe a tsp. she eats her feed good, but also free ranges a lot.

I also don't know if it's worth noting that I have 3 cats and 2 dogs, they all get a long but idk if they could carry disease that affects chickens?

 

[mixedUPturk]

I got her April 27th and they said she was about 5-6 weeks, so I have had her almost 4 months. I forget the crumble chick starter brand she was on but now she is on Purina Premium Layena pellets with prebiotics, probiotics and oyster, calcium, manganese (idk if they all have that or if it's relevant), Pecking Order brand free range feed with boonworms, and Pecking Order brand dried mealworms, Dumor poultry grit, Durvet brand vitamins and probiotics.

I try to make sure most of her feed is the pellets, and add the free range and mealworms to the pellets for treats. About less than a quarter of the pellets is what I put for the treats and it's mixed in. I also have poppy seeds that it says "supports digestion" and I sprinkle that over the feed maybe a tsp. she eats her feed good, but also free ranges a lot.

I also don't know if it's worth noting that I have 3 cats and 2 dogs, they all get a long but idk if they could carry disease that affects chickens?

Your doing great i really hope u find the answers. There are some really great people among this community who are very knowledgeable about chickens diseases and illnesses. They monitor this forum and i just stopped by to see if i could learn something new. Treats are recomended to only make up about 10% of the overall diet, i think thats about what youve got w the free ranging added in but this way you know the specs as far as i do at least

 

[Lerdawerd]

Your doing great i really hope u find the answers. There are some really great people among this community who are very knowledgeable about chickens diseases and illnesses. They monitor this forum and i just stopped by to see if i could learn something new. Treats are recomended to only make up about 10% of the overall diet, i think thats about what youve got w the free ranging added in but this way you know the specs as far as i do at least

Thank you I appreciate any and all information! I'm a super newbie to this, I've worked with goats, pigs and cattle but never owned chickens!
I definitely look forward to learning about any disease she may have so we can get her healthy and happy with new friends. She has become a loved member of our family. Everytime I take the dogs out she's always right there with us and almost acts as if she wants to chase the frisbee with them haha

 

[Lerdawerd]

Your doing great i really hope u find the answers. There are some really great people among this community who are very knowledgeable about chickens diseases and illnesses. They monitor this forum and i just stopped by to see if i could learn something new. Treats are recomended to only make up about 10% of the overall diet, i think thats about what youve got w the free ranging added in but this way you know the specs as far as i do at least

Well after much googling I have officially worried myself and I'm about to head to the veterinary clinic to get her checked out. I will let you know what he says!

 

[mixedUPturk]

Well after much googling I have officially worried myself and I'm about to head to the veterinary clinic to get her checked out. I will let you know what he says!

Thats great! Ill be all ears

 

[cmom]

Looks like a pullet to me. Possibly fowl pox?