Comb has white tips: Frostbite or something else?

[wild chick]

My hard luck pullet Annie. She broke a leg as a youngster, recovered to totally normal, then a few weeks ago had diarrhea and just wasn't doing well for a few days, recovered to totally normal, now I'm seeing her flopped over comb is turning white. She is about 7 months old, had started laying before she got sick, her last egg was on the 10th and she hasn't laid since (unless she's hiding them, but she was laying in the nest boxes). Today the rooster approached her and she squatted, but he didn't breed her, but it's the first interaction I've seen with them since her illness. Her wattles look like a nice shade of red. I've notice the pale comb since she got sick, but the last few days I've noticed that the tips are white now, not just pale. Possible to be frostbite? Or have something to do with whatever ailed her a few weeks ago? (no other chickens got sick, I didn't isolate or treat her) I thought frostbite was black. Hers have not been black at all. Temps have been to 10 F at the coldest, but highs in the 30's to 50's. Coop is ventilated at the top, no drafts where she roosts and no other chickens showing anything like this. She eats, drinks, runs like crazy, is quite wild - I can only catch her at night.

 

[Chick-N-Fun]

That doesn’t look like frostbite to me. From my experience, frostbite is gray to black in color. Hopefully, someone else will chime in soon with advice that can help you! Best of luck with your pretty pullet!

 

[Alaskan]

Huh.

Not clearly frostbite... but could be.

Frostbite when just a bit, and at the comb tips will start white, and go super pale. Then it dies, turns black and falls off.

If that is what happened it will be clear in a week or so.

Frostbite can happen at pretty warm temps too (like around freezing) if the humidity is high.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

That bird looks like she's not currently laying, not frostbitten.
Anconas, like other Mediterranean breed hens' combs are supposed to flop over.

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

She may have been eggbound. Her comb does look like it is beginning to get frostbite. I've had at least one bird a year with frostbite, and some have started out like that.

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

Of she is not feeling her best, she might not be letting enough blood flow through her comb which may cause that type of frostbite.

 

[Eggcessive]

That is frostbite on the outer edge of the comb in my opinion. There can be mild, moderate, or severe cases. The damage is not always know right away. I have seen some rooster’s combs look terrible, and a week later, it was as if nothing happened. This may not end up too bad, hopefully. But time will tell. Do not handle or massage the comb. No matter how good the coop and ventilation is, you can still have frostbite at zero.

 

[wild chick]

That bird looks like she's not currently laying, not frostbitten.
Anconas, like other Mediterranean breed hens' combs are supposed to flop over.

Yes, I stated that she hasn't laid since the 10th, and I know the flop over is a breed thing. I was asking if the white tips could be frostbite or due to her illness, (about 4 days from 11th to 14th) which has seemingly put the brakes on her laying. She is normal in every other way from my observation.

 

[wild chick]

you can still have frostbite at zero

It has possibly been to the single digits F for just a few hours in the early a.m. I think I'd rather it be a bit of frostbite than lingering illness! I was of the understanding that Ancona Chickens come with either the flop comb or a short comb, but I didn't get a choice when ordering and just crossed my fingers, but she came with the flop comb. I really like this spunky gal, I'm hoping she gets over this like she has overcome all her other woes.

 

[Eggcessive]

I would not be surprised if it didn’t do much damage. I have had a few roosters mostly who combs lost tips or who became rounded. My two ancona’s had large combs, and would flop over in winter when they weren’t laying. Let us know how her comb looks later, and post another picture of the outcome.