Blood on pullet’s comb/beak

[ChickenGirl555]

I have 7 pullets and 1 cockerel, 6 pullets are 4 months old while the 1 other pullet and cockerel at around 2 or 3 months.

I went to lock my chickens up for the night and noticed some blood on the feeder. I looked at my chickens and realized one of my Easter Egger pullets, Robin, had a line of blood that had dripped from what looked like the front of her comb and down her beak. The comb looked slightly purple, like a bruise. In Wisconsin now, everyday is between 10F and 26F. It’s snowy and very windy but the coop is a little insulated on the floor and no wind can get in besides maybe a little through the ventilation areas. It’s an off ground coop and The chickens had access to the run all day when I wasn’t home. I’m very worried since this is the first REAL injury I’ve had because I only started being a chicken owner in August. I don’t know if it’s just frostbite or she hurt herself on the chicken wire....I have petroleum jelly if it is frostbite. Please help soon because it’s only getting colder and darker! (She also seemed to be acting normal!)
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[The Phantom]

Can you post a picture?

 

[ChickenGirl555]

Can you post a picture?

Yes sorry I forgot to add it! Should be there now though!

 

[The Phantom]

When I click on it it says I don’t have permission to view this page.
Maybe try it in a separate post

 

[Chickassan]

Sounds like someone bit her just by your description, combs bleed alot so the littlest nick can look like a murder scene. I would like to see pictures if you can just to be certain.

 

[rebrascora]

At 4 months old, they will be starting to develop their hormones in preparation to lay and as with humans, puberty makes them a little more fractious than usual as they vie for their positions in the adult world... ie pecking order. With the weather being cold they may be confined to the coop more, which will add to their agitation. As a result things can get a little rough. I would clean her up and apply some antiseptic ointment. She should be fine but you might want to assess the amount of space they have to ensure that they have enough. It is easy for a coop to look huge when chicks are small and you don't notice that it is getting cramped because it is a gradual process. Lack of space often causes behavioural problems. Having a young cockerel in the flock will compound that once his hormones kick in, so plenty of space is vital.

 

[ChickenGirl555]

At 4 months old, they will be starting to develop their hormones in preparation to lay and as with humans, puberty makes them a little more fractious than usual as they vie for their positions in the adult world... ie pecking order. With the weather being cold they may be confined to the coop more, which will add to their agitation. As a result things can get a little rough. I would clean her up and apply some antiseptic ointment. She should be fine but you might want to assess the amount of space they have to ensure that they have enough. It is easy for a coop to look huge when chicks are small and you don't notice that it is getting cramped because it is a gradual process. Lack of space often causes behavioural problems. Having a young cockerel in the flock will compound that once his hormones kick in, so plenty of space is vital.

I know about the pecking orders, and the cockerel is fitting in perfectly, it’s not cramped, I think, but we are getting rid of the cockerel later so that will free up space, and we aren’t expanding the coop.
EDIT: Also in summer they will mainly be free ranging, I just don’t want to loose them.

 

[rebrascora]

At 2-3 months I would not expect the cockerel to be a problem at this stage. They don't start getting their hormones till about 15 weeks and things can change pretty dramatically when that happens.
Wintertime is often the time for behavioural issues to arise due to reduced ranging time or being completely confined to the coop as a result of the weather. What seemed like spacious accommodation in the summer, when they spent most of the day out foraging, can become a bit tight when the weather is too inclement to go out.
I got caught out last year by bird flu restrictions which meant that my chickens has to be kept cooped for months on end and they had been used to free ranging everyday.... they were not at all happy!

I didn't mean to be critical, just trying to suggest why this problem may have occurred. Frostbite doesn't generally result in bleeding and since the comb is the primary site for pecking order injuries, that is the most obvious cause of a bleeding comb.... and the 4 month old pullets are approaching the age when they start getting a bit ratty with each other.

 

[ChickenGirl555]

At 2-3 months I would not expect the cockerel to be a problem at this stage. They don't start getting their hormones till about 15 weeks and things can change pretty dramatically when that happens.
Wintertime is often the time for behavioural issues to arise due to reduced ranging time or being completely confined to the coop as a result of the weather. What seemed like spacious accommodation in the summer, when they spent most of the day out foraging, can become a bit tight when the weather is too inclement to go out.
I got caught out last year by bird flu restrictions which meant that my chickens has to be kept cooped for months on end and they had been used to free ranging everyday.... they were not at all happy!

I didn't mean to be critical, just trying to suggest why this problem may have occurred. Frostbite doesn't generally result in bleeding and since the comb is the primary site for pecking order injuries, that is the most obvious cause of a bleeding comb.... and the 4 month old pullets are approaching the age when they start getting a bit ratty with each other.

Ok, I'm pretty sad because I want polish chicks but I don't know if I have room. I might just get 1 now...I'm not sure and polish are my favorite breed so I REALLY want one and hopefully two but it will depend on what happens in the future.

 

[ChickenGirl555]

Sounds like someone bit her just by your description, combs bleed alot so the littlest nick can look like a murder scene. I would like to see pictures if you can just to be certain.