I just noticed this morning that my girls' combs seem to be starting to turn black from the beak up. Their wattles don't look so good either. I have three 1-year-old hens and all three of them seem to have this issue to some degree or another. It must've just started in the past day or so because I remember noticing how bright and healthy my australorp's comb looked just a few days ago!
Of course it is the beginning of June so it obviously isn't frostbite.
About 5 days ago I introduced three 5-week-old chicks into the run. But they have been separated in a dog crate the whole time and we've been doing the "look-don't-touch" method.
The only other thing that I have done differently is that I gave them a bunch of watermelon, cantaloupe, and honeydew rinds a few days ago. But I have done that in the past and there has never been a problem.
I will also note that someone has had some runny poop lately, and egg production may be down for either the Sussex or the Australorp (I can't always tell which egg belongs to whom).
Any ideas? Is this fowl pox? Is this something I need to treat, or just wait it out?
Of course it is the beginning of June so it obviously isn't frostbite.
About 5 days ago I introduced three 5-week-old chicks into the run. But they have been separated in a dog crate the whole time and we've been doing the "look-don't-touch" method.
The only other thing that I have done differently is that I gave them a bunch of watermelon, cantaloupe, and honeydew rinds a few days ago. But I have done that in the past and there has never been a problem.
I will also note that someone has had some runny poop lately, and egg production may be down for either the Sussex or the Australorp (I can't always tell which egg belongs to whom).
Any ideas? Is this fowl pox? Is this something I need to treat, or just wait it out?
How foolish of me! I guess my recent poultry deaths have made me extra paranoid. Lesson learned that when your girls will eating juicy melon rinds they will get pretty dirty in the wattle and comb! 
