Dark bruise-like spots on comb

[souriasia]

I just noticed this evening that my hen Clarisse has these spots on her comb. The photo doesn't show the color very well but it's a dark purple bruise-like color. The short spike looks fine overall -- it's not like she had an injury that clipped off the top of that spike. It's fine but just has this spot on the top. The way the two spots match up does make it seem like an injury, though, but I can't imagine from what. I'm down to only 2 girls right now, and I haven't seen them fuss with each other since it's been only the 2.

Any thoughts? Should I be treating it in any way? I did rub some neosporin on it (as best I could since she did NOT think that was a good idea). Anything else I should be doing?

 

[GitaBooks]

She could have just scraped it on something, or it could be something more serious, like Fowl Pox. I would keep an eye on it and on your other hen.

I hope they heal up soon. Best of luck!

 

[aart]

Almost looks like frostbite damage...what is your location, is it winter where you live?

 

[souriasia]

I don't think it could be frostbite. I'm in southern CA. We did have snow for a week around the new year but I don't think it got cold enough for frostbite. Plus I'm hoping it wouldn't have taken me that long to notice it. I'm not being facetious -- I really can be a real space cadet and sometimes not see things that are right in front of my face. So times like this I really have to ask myself, Okay -- how long did it take you to notice this?? But hopefully I haven't been oblivious since January.

 

[souriasia]

She could have just scraped it on something, or it could be something more serious, like Fowl Pox. I would keep an eye on it and on your other hen.

I hope they heal up soon. Best of luck!

Thanks, GitaBooks. I hope you're right about her scraping it. When I looked up Fowl Pox the lesions in the photos look raised, and hers aren't raised or anything, just dark purple spots as though someone had dotted her with a Sharpie pen or something. Hopefully not a precursor!

Thanks for your help, and for your good thoughts!

 

[souriasia]

So here we are a week or so later, and here's an updated picture of Clarisse's comb. One of the spots is completely gone and the other is almost gone. I guess it was just some bruising from foraging or something after all. Yay!

 

[GitaBooks]

Awesome!

 

[CalgaryFarmer]

I had something very similar on mine. My guess is watermelon juice got on there, which got dirty and dried. Just a thought.

 

[souriasia]

Hmm... well it couldn't be watermelon, but it could have been something along those lines...