gray patches on combs?

[Gypsi]

The birds lowest on the pecking order (based on where they end up roosting, top roost being packed solid with 5 hens most nights) have gray patches appearing on their combs? They are not roosting in the coop, but on the big roost in the run, because they are silly. It gets north wind, but is protected from west wind. It was intended as a summer roost to keep them cool, being shaded by a roof. Should I take down my summer roost and add another roost in the coop? Do I need to do anything about the gray patches?
The birds with the worst patches are 2 barred rock hens. The production reds look pretty good, and all 4 production reds always make "top roost".

Thank you,
Gypsi

 

[Judy]

I wouldn't take the roosts down. It's not too cold for them in Texas. Not sure about the gray patches. Fowl pox is quite common and not a bad disease at all, but when mine had it the patches looked black to me, and that's how they are usually described. You might do a search on fowl pox and see what you think.

 

[Gypsi]

I don't think it's fowl pox, more like a healing peck on one or 2 birds. light gray, not brown, bumpy or scabby. But I read up on it and I'll keep an eye on them. Thank you

 

[pringle]

How cold is it were ya live?It might be frostbite.If not then becouse there lowest in the pecking order the other chickens arnt letting them eat much so they might be malnourished.

 

[Gypsi]

They all eat pretty well, these ladies get a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast most morning, but I am sure they are the lowest in the pecking order. I get 4 to 6 eggs a day, most days 5 or 6, so I'm thinking they aren't malnourished, just a little pecked. They get greens for an afternoon snack and the feeder is rarely low.

I moved the low girl onto the roost in the coop last night, just slipped my hands under her feet and transferred her perch to perch.
Last night was our first freeze, it got down to 30, it's going to 26 tonight. Highs 50's to 70's, so I don't think frostbite. Part of why I moved her, wanted to see how warm her feet were, they were warmer than my hands.