My wyandotte hatched some chicks at the end of August and has been a spectacular mom...perhaps too spectacular. She is still not separated from them, although she gives them a good bit of freedom. They're still sleeping together, she still makes sure they eat first, etc. My concern is that her comb is very pale (wattles are normal, just the comb). She went through a light molt about a month ago and has recovered well from that, and she seems otherwise healthy - eating, drinking, and pooping normally, although perhaps eating less due to feeding the babies first? From what I've read, this seems like an abnormally long time for her to stay with her chicks and I'm wondering if the pale comb is a sign of illness or just a side effect of being a mom for so long. She has not laid since July and with our short days, I don't expect her to lay again until spring, so I'm not super concerned about that part of it. Any thoughts?
