Chicken's Comb Blackened and Ready to Fall Off

[TeamDefeat]

It's me again. This time, the issue is with one of my grandmother's hens. I noticed some black stains on her comb and thought little of it. Then I noticed the back edge of her comb was purpleish (supposedly a sign of poor blood flow) and then I saw her comb was hanging weirdly. This Barred Rock ("Betty Speckles") normally has a beautiful red comb that stands straight up, but when it was flopping over, I caught her up and looked closer.

At first, I was horrified. I thought it was some kind of fungus, for the comb looked like it was rotting away. It looked a lot like Fowl Pox, and I started to wash a scab around her eye, I realized her comb was the issue. When I touched it, she put up a huge fight, trying to get away, which isn't like her at all. She's a very calm and laid back bird, so this rang alarm bells. Beneath the comb, I saw a glimpse of gross yellow flesh or skin or something. It appears like her comb was partially ripped off. Her remaining flockmate is submissive to her, so we're assuming she got her head caught in something and tried to pull free.

What's concerning is the coloration. She has dark scabs below her eye and on her comb, and her comb is turning purple on the wounded side.

What can we do as a home remedy? We're thinking antibiotics in her water, since bandaging her head is clearly out of the question.

 

[micstrachan]

Poor thing. Really not sure what to tell you. I’d apply neosporin or other triple antibiotic ointment. I have a barred rock who also ripped off part of her comb, but not as large an area.