Hen with Black Wattle and black beak

[Trischa]

I have a two year old Isa Brown hen. For the past couple of days, she has been lithargic. She's not running around like usual, especially when we throw out scratch. I live in Michigan and it has been cold, but not below zero. They have an enclosed coop that keeps out the wind and a small heater in the coop. We see them in the coop at night when it is cold, however, there have been times when they are in the fenced in area when it's raining. Today I went to check on her and her wattle is black and her beak is black. I grabbed some vaseline to put on her wattle and when I did, the black came off and it was bright red! Brighter than her usual color on the wattle. She didn't move hardly at all. I threw some scratch to see if that would get her to run, but nothing. Her whole face just looks dull. Could this be more than frostbite?

 

[MissChick@dee]

Hum...photo’s would help. Her waddles are red under black that washes off? I’d say ash bucket! I pile my ash from the wood stove in one area of my yard. For what ever reason I have one that likes to munch on the black cole chunks. I’ll have to get a picture because she looks like a toddler that has been eating Cheetos-only black.

 

[Eggcessive]

Can you get any pictures? If you suspect frostbite, do not massage or handle the tissue. Dried blood can appear black after pecking or damage to the skin. Frostbite can occur whith temperatures below freezing, and if they get wet, the combs or wattles are more risk.

 

[WindingRoad]

I have a two year old Isa Brown hen. For the past couple of days, she has been lithargic. She's not running around like usual, especially when we throw out scratch. I live in Michigan and it has been cold, but not below zero. They have an enclosed coop that keeps out the wind and a small heater in the coop. We see them in the coop at night when it is cold, however, there have been times when they are in the fenced in area when it's raining. Today I went to check on her and her wattle is black and her beak is black. I grabbed some vaseline to put on her wattle and when I did, the black came off and it was bright red! Brighter than her usual color on the wattle. She didn't move hardly at all. I threw some scratch to see if that would get her to run, but nothing. Her whole face just looks dull. Could this be more than frostbite?

Maybe you should take the heater out of the coop. It might be making it too humid in there. A coop should be dry first and then if needed ( which IMHO it's not) heated. How's the ventilation. A few weeks ago my chickens, 4: Buff, ISABrown 2 SLW made it through -10. Today was in the high teens to maybe 22 and I check their water every 2 hours NO frozen water. Tonight at 5 PM when I put them to bed their water was not frozen and it has been 2 1/2 hours since I had checked it. I went grocery shopping. I've decided that my chickens are keeping the enclosed run and coop plenty warm. I have a clear tarp with white "fencing like" strips on it all around the fenced in part of the run. Works great. No frostbite. I check every morning. Even with the coop open today the water didn't freeze. I have a heater and a galvanized waterer out side. Plugged in all the time but didn't get it in the coop before coop froze to the ground. I really don't want it there for fire reasons.

 

[ChickNanny13]

 

[micstrachan]

I agree it sounds like she got into an ash bucket or something else if it easily rubbed off. Is there any black powder you can think of that she could have gotten into? Anything toxic?

 

[MissChick@dee]

Can you get any pictures? If you suspect frostbite, do not massage or handle the tissue. Dried blood can appear black after pecking or damage to the skin. Frostbite can occur whith temperatures below freezing, and if they get wet, the combs or wattles are more risk.

This is such helpful information. A lot of people don’t know not to touch/rub clean frostbite.
The beak being black...don’t think I’ve ever known of frostbite on the beak.

 

[Eggcessive]

Yes, I agree about the beak. It probably is just where the chicken got into something black like ashes or something else.

 

[Trischa]

I agree it sounds like she got into an ash bucket or something else if it easily rubbed off. Is there any black powder you can think of that she could have gotten into? Anything toxic?

Nope... nothing ash that she could have gotten into. Nothing toxic either. She is still standing in the same position and same place as she was when I looked at her at 5:00 p.m. and now it is 11:42 p.m. The temps are in the 34-36 degrees F. Nothing below freezing.

 

[Trischa]

Yes, I agree about the beak. It probably is just where the chicken got into something black like ashes or something else.

I rubbed her beak to see if he had gotten into anything. Nothing. It's not her whole beak that is black. Just the part closest to the top of the beak.