Comb Query

[Thunder Thighs]

Hi Everyone
I'm just wondering if my rooster is suffering from a bit of frost bite or if there is anything else that I should be looking for?
He seems healthy, no change in appetite, mood, coop habits or anything but has these blackened tips through his comb which appears as though maybe it's been damaged (but he's in a pen on his own).
This is the best pic I could get (if you can zoom in you can see it better).
Any opinions or advice would be appreciated.
Thanks

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Hi @Thunder Thighs Welcome To BYC

Where are you located? Is it currently cold where you are?

It's hard to tell from the photo, but I am inclined to think this looks like scabs from pecking. Do you have another rooster?
Sometimes hens will pick at a roosters comb as well.

It's also possible it could be from insect bites and he has some Fowl Pox going on.

Watch to see if anyone is picking at his comb, especially while roosting. You can apply some Blu Kote, triple antibiotic ointment, Vetericyn or Iodine to the scabs to help them heal.
Here's some info with some good photos of Fowl Pox - if you think it is Fowl Pox after looking at the photos, then use Iodine to help dry out the scabs.
http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2015/07/fowl-pox-prevention-treatment.html

 

[Thunder Thighs]

Hi @Thunder Thighs Welcome To BYC

Where are you located? Is it currently cold where you are?

It's hard to tell from the photo, but I am inclined to think this looks like scabs from pecking. Do you have another rooster?
Sometimes hens will pick at a roosters comb as well.

It's also possible it could be from insect bites and he has some Fowl Pox going on.

Watch to see if anyone is picking at his comb, especially while roosting. You can apply some Blu Kote, triple antibiotic ointment, Vetericyn or Iodine to the scabs to help them heal.
Here's some info with some good photos of Fowl Pox - if you think it is Fowl Pox after looking at the photos, then use Iodine to help dry out the scabs.
http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2015/07/fowl-pox-prevention-treatment.html

Thanks for your reply. He's in isolation at the moment and has been for 4 weeks so I don't think it would be damage from pecking or fighting. We're in country NSW. We have had a few good frosts over the past 2 weeks which is why I thought maybe frostbite!
I was wondering about fowl pox but thought it wasn't likely as none of the other birds have any signs. I'll treat him for it keep an eye on the others.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

May I ask why he is in isolation?

In my opinion, it's too scabby looking for it to be frostbite.

Here's some photos of frostbite
http://www.raising-happy-chickens.com/backyard-chickens-frostbite.html
http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2013/12/frostbit-in-backyard-chickens-causes.html

 

[Thunder Thighs]

He's been moved to an old coop a few hundred metres from the main coops for a few reasons. The main reason was that we hatched chicks and he wasn't very impressed. He was ok to start but as they got older he started to get aggressive. He attacked anything that moved including me and my kids. This stirred up all of our chooks including the other rooster. Once we removed the older roosters the rest of the flock settled (we had one chicken become aggressive but after a few days in isolation she settled back in).

He's normally quite calm and a pleasure to have around (looks after his girls) so I'm hoping that when I rehome the 4 cockerels this week I can reintroduce the older roosters. I'm a bit worried it might have been too long but can only try.

The alternative is that I extend his coop and yard and buy him some companions. But I'd prefer to have him free range again.

I can't let him go he's my first hatch.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

He's beautiful.

The scabbing does look like picking/pulling/fighting. Sometimes a rooster can try to fight through fencing as well and cut up their combs.

 

[coach723]

He's beautiful.

The scabbing does look like picking/pulling/fighting. Sometimes a rooster can try to fight through fencing as well and cut up their combs.

This was my first thought also, that he is battering himself up trying to get out of where he is. Roo's can be pretty persistent and insistent about getting back to their girls.

 

[centrarchid]

Can you show closeup of affected areas?

 

[DocBirdBrain]

That looks like avian pox (not to be confused with the chicken pox). Look at the photos in this article and see what you think.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/avian-pox-how-to-treat-your-chickens-for-avian-pox.47704/