Black spots on rooster's comb? (couple of large pics, for detail)

[ninjapoodles]

Are these little black spots anything to worry about? I noticed, when I enlarged the pics, that there is one spot on the ear(lobe?) as well.

 

[silkiechicken]

Just look like normal scabs to me. Nicked them on a branch, on some wire, in rocks, on the coop. Nothing to worry about.

 

[can you hear me now?]

thanks silkie i was wondering the same about my roo. I got him used so to speak and he has had his share of run ins with a racoon or 6. He used to be really pretty and I am sure he will be again if he ever grows all of his feathers back. He is a silver phoenix.

 

[ninjapoodles]

Thanks! This IS, after all, the only cockerel to have survived the fox-slaughter unscathed (that we could tell, anyway), and prior to that, he was definitely NOT the alpha roo. He could have been pecked, or heck, could've received some damage in the fox mayhem.

So basically, any damage to the combs/wattles will show up as black scabs? Good to know. I don't think we'll ever have to worry about frostbite here...are there any other things that could damage these areas that I should watch out for? These guys are only 3 months old.

 

[silkiechicken]

Any scratch or bug bite to the comb will scab. Combs are tough, but can have hull breaches pretty easily. They clot quickly and heal fast. If you see pus like scabs showing or large large patches from something other than possible injury, and the bird becomes listless/shows sickness, then worry. If he made it out of a fox attack, he made it nearly unscathed! Be sure to check under feathers carefully though, as they are really good at hiding injuries till they are infected and have gone systemic. Dealing with a festering maggot filled wound is not a good thing.

 

[ninjapoodles]

Ewwww, thanks for the tip! The other surviving cockerel, a smaller one of the same age, was visibly injured (no broken skin, but we could tell exactly where he'd been bitten over his back, and he limped for several days), as was one of the pullets. I've checked them over thoroughly, but now I'll give a better going over to the ones I assumed were uninjured.

They all fared better than their TWENTY-TWO dead companions. Bet it's a long time before I forget to "lock up" again.