Dry, hard comb

[JessicaChick]

Hey everyone! My hen's comb is suddenly very dry and even hard at one of the tips. Is this an illness concern or do I blame it on this horrible Texas heat we have? Stools and appetite seem to be normal.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Hi @JessicaChick Welcome To BYC

It looks like the comb has been injured. Do you have a rooster?
You can apply some triple antibiotic ointment or Blu Kote to the comb if you wish.

 

[JessicaChick]

Thanks for your your reply! We do not have a rooster so I'm not sure what could have happened. I was hoping some ointment would be the answer. I'll give it a try. Thanks again.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Thanks for your your reply! We do not have a rooster so I'm not sure what could have happened. I was hoping some ointment would be the answer. I'll give it a try. Thanks again.

You can put some triple antibiotic ointment on the comb, it won't hurt her.

Unless you have more photos you would like to share, the comb looks to have been injured somehow. It looks like it's healing up.
Observe your flock, is this girl low in the pecking order, do you notice anyone picking at her comb? Roosting time is often when you will see comb and feather pulling. She may have also just gotten her comb hung in fencing and ripped/scraped it when she pulled away.

 

[JessicaChick]

She's the only laying hen we have. We have 3 other chicks that are probably about 3 months old. I'm betting you're right on getting it caught. She's been very interested in feeding and drinking with them and had noticed she was putting her head into their coop to do so. Thanks for the info. I started to apply ointment and it looks a little better today.