Black stuff on combs

[nightwatch]

I have been watching my Barred Rocks closely. They have dark black spots on there combs. It started out just a black spot here and there on a couple of hens. Not its more wide spead amonst my six hens. one hen has it all one her come and the tips are getting raw. At first I thought it was maybe poop or dirt on it. It looks like scabs, dirt or like a black mold. Does any one know what it could be? Im worried. I dont need to go into winter with this.

 

[ninabeast]

I have the same thing on my Rocks. I have been reading horror stories on here about fowl pox, but my local avian expert assures me it's just scabs from pecking. They do have the largest combs of my little flock. I have been keeping my terror in check, but will be watching this thread. Maybe if we both posted pics?

 

[welasharon]

The dry form of fowl pox is not too terribly serious. Mine never acted like it bothered them at all. Here is a pic of one of them.

 

[nightwatch]

yeah that is pretty close to what mine look like. One has her hole comb getting it. Im so mad and unhappy. Im worried that they have fowl pox and I will lose them. I got them from TSC. If I would have known about fowl pox I would have vaccinated them. Will they suffer or die? If so should I just kill them now and get it over with?

 

[ninabeast]

In looking at mine again, the spots are gone. Maybe the extreme wetness we've had up here? In any event, I'm glad I didn't panic...thanks for the pic!

 

[TinyBirds]

Agree - probably fowl pox, which they will recover from generally on their own I think. It could also be from fights because if one pecks another one, that peck spot will get bloody and looks black soon thereafter. Even the hens can fight sometimes so you might not notice it other than the black marks. We also had a guinea once that attacked our hens in the nest box and made their combs all bloody. He went to freezer camp soon after I discovered what was going on, and we haven't had any trouble since then. We had other guineas without a problem though, so it must've just been a mean one.

 

[dawg53]

If it looks like this, it could be lice/mites.

 

[florida lee]

I have the same thing, it started out as one spot and has separated into two. I've been putting iodine on it every night....I believe its fowl pox. Only one out of 18 has it.