Comb/waddle getting lighter red!

[emimiller8]

My hen is raising her chicks in our guest bedroom, I was told that she can just eat the chick food when she does this, but now her waddle is getting a Lighter red. Should I be worried. I am going to put some of her laying feed up high for her and so chicks can't get. Is there any other reasons why her comb is changing color. Thanks

 

[Heidisgran]

their combs are a pinkish color when they aren't laying...darker, brighter red when they are laying....I let my mama raise their babies with in the flock...they take good care of them...I feed the babies starter food but they eat anything their mama gives them and she eats everything she wants

 

[casportpony]

Could be parasites, I would treat her for mites, lice and worms.

-Kathy

 

[CochinBrahmaLover]

She's sounds fine. The hens wattles/combs go very light when their sitting. Our cochin's wattles and comb have are about white when she's siting,must a dab of color. I wouldn't treat for anything and you do not need to,add the layer feed. It's just a thing that happens when they're tryin to raise babies ^^

 

[Eggcessive]

Layer feed is not okay to feed when the hen has chicks. They should all be on starter/grower or "all flock." The calcium in layer is 3X what is in all flock or chick starter, and too much calcium may lead to kidney damage or gout later. It is normal for hens to lose color in the comb and wattles when they are not laying eggs--during hatching, raising chicks, and during a molt.

 

[casportpony]

She's sounds fine. The hens wattles/combs go very light when their sitting. Our cochin's wattles and comb have are about white when she's siting,must a dab of color. I wouldn't treat for anything and you do not need to,add the layer feed. It's just a thing that happens when they're tryin to raise babies ^^

That's hasn't been my experience... and if she's in the house, she can't dust bathe and it's likely she has mites and lice if she wasn't dusted recently. If she has them, her chicks will, too.

-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

Layer feed is not okay to feed when the hen has chicks. They should all be on starter/grower or "all flock." The calcium in layer is 3X what is in all flock or chick starter, and too much calcium may lead to kidney damage or gout later. It is normal for hens to lose color in the comb and wattles when they are not laying eggs--during hatching, raising chicks, and during a molt.

X2!

-Kathy

 

[Heidisgran]

I do agree they should be outside as often as possible and as is safe...but for positive sure they lose color in the waddles when they aren't laying raising babies

 

[casportpony]

I do agree they should be outside as often as possible and as is safe...but for positive sure they lose color in the waddles when they aren't laying raising babies

True, mine aren't bright red, but my suggestions are from personal experience... Have had indoor broodies pass on worms, mites and lice to their young, so now I try to dust and worm them before the chicks hatch. The ones I have right now are raising peachicks, and peachicks are way more likely to get sick from a hen that has not been properly de-wormed.

-Kathy

 

[emimiller8]

How can I check to see if she has lice or mites ect?