Comb and Wattle problem...

[Chickensfan]

hello!
recently my barred rock hen, Blackie, started laying. the eggs seem very nice, and are tasty. but recently i went to check on her, and her comb and wattles were pale red, instead of the usual bright red. i didn't know whether to put it in "emergencies and diseases" or "Pests" or whatever they are called. (sorry, little s-l-o-w...)
one more question,
my australorp roo, Sugarpuff, has weird droppings, and has for a little while now. they are like black diarrhea.

 

[Chickensfan]

wow. i went to check on her a little while ago, and her comb and wattles seemed fine again. then i looked again at nighttime, and they were pale again.

 

[sawilliams]

Heat, worms. It's hard to say. If she's only dude during the day she might not be tolerating the heat. But if another is having strange poops you might want to see if anyone in you area can do a stool sample for worms, and possibly treat for worms, animea from a parasite would certainly make a chicken less heat tolerant too

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Hens remove pigment from their body parts and use this pigment to color her eggshells and egg yokes. If you are really really hardcore it is possible to determine how long a hen will lay or how long before she returns to laying by studying the colors or lack of color on certain of her body parts.

These parts include her comb, waddles, face, beak, shanks (ankles) and vent.

This is not something that the uninformed should attempt because hens go into and come out of lay in a set pattern and if you misread the color of a hen part you may well cull your best layers.

It is still interesting and something that you should look into. I don't remember if there was a daily change but I wouldn't doubt it. This may be what you are seeing.

 

[aart]

Some birds comb color changes with their activity level, due to circulation changes with exertion and rest, especially pullets close to lay-will drive ya nuts, haha!
I have some birds that are bright red no matter what they are doing, some that vary with activity, and some that stay rather paler even tho they are laying.

Many different 'normal' poops, can change depending on what you're feeding too.
Good references, just don't jump to any terrible conclusions too quickly:
http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/02/whats-scoop-on-chicken-poop-digestive.html
http://chat.allotment-garden.org/?topic=17568.0

 

[azygous]

Yeah, you can drive yourself crazy worrying about changes in comb and wattles color.

Comb and wattles are an indicator of blood circulation, among other things. Sometimes when I'm holding a hen, cuddling her and visiting with her, I will notice her comb going from red to a sickly purple. When I release her, her head gear return to a normal red. Holding her may constrict normal blood flow, thus the color change.

This time of year here in the northern hemisphere, adult chickens are starting to go into their fall molt, and the comb and wattles will turn a drab, pale pink while the feathers are exchanged for new.

I'm waiting on four pre-lay EE pullets to get red combs in a race to get them laying before the approaching shortened days cut off all possibility of eggs before next spring.

 

[Chickensfan]

thank you all!
any idea about the weird black poop?
or did any of you type an idea and did i just miss it....?

 

[aart]

thank you all!
any idea about the weird black poop?
or did any of you type an idea and did i just miss it....?

I posted links of poop examples.

 

[Chickensfan]

I posted links of poop examples.

thanks! i remember now!

 

[Chickensfan]

here is a pic of Blackie

she won't lay an egg unless her roo is guarding her. it is so cute. the 2 are such lovebirds.
here is a pic of her roo,