Infected Comb?!?

[BinaryChicken]

the other night my hen escaped from the coop and was out all night because we couldnt find her. now her comb has some blood on it and she is just walking very slowly and in the morning doesnt want to get off the roost. could it be infected? Please Help!!!!
here is a picture of it.

 

[countrygoddess]

It doesn't look infected to me. I see you're in Ontario, though, so I imagine your nighttime temps must be getting down below freezing like ours are here in Vermont. If so, she might have a bit of frostbite. My chickens have never reacted physically to frostbite--the tips of the comb just die off a bit and then heal. As far as the blood, a little scuff and blood won't hurt her and it'll heal. My cockerels' combs are nasty-scabby and crusted with dried blood from fighting. But when the fighting dies down, they all heal and look nice again. Until the next time they decide to fight. I'm not sure how to explain her lethargy. Maybe someone else can...

 

[BinaryChicken]

should we be wiping it with rubbing alchohol its not too cold thoughweve had a sebright rooster get only a tiny bit when it got down to -6 i dont think its frost bite. what about the fact that shes acting acting slow?

 

[countrygoddess]

Hopefully someone else can offer some insight into the lethargy.

I've never heard of putting rubbing alcohol on a comb to prevent frostbite; I have heard of using a thick layer of Vaseline to help insulate it. If it hasn't gotten very cold there, then it's probably not frostbitten. She probably just went under some rough scrub brush or something and it got scratched.

I'm wondering if the lethargy is coincidental and has nothing to do with her night spent outside...

 

[BinaryChicken]

i meant to clean the blood off so it doesnt get infected

 

[countrygoddess]

Oh, yes, I see. Yeah, you can do that. I guess I'm lazy: I have never cleaned my boys' combs. I just let them crust over and then one day they'll stand out in the rain and then their combs look pretty again. =) I mean, if they looked like they could become infected I'd do something, but they never have...

 

[cowcreekgeek]

the other night my hen escaped from the coop and was out all night because we couldnt find her. now her comb has some blood on it and she is just walking very slowly and in the morning doesnt want to get off the roost. could it be infected? Please Help!!!!
here is a picture of it.

Bring her inside, and clean it gently w/ a warm, soapy cloth. I wouldn't use alcohol, and I'd keep her inside 'til she's completely dried off. You need to know, for certain, that it's blood from some form of wound. If it is? A bit of neosporin wouldn't hurt. If it isn't? Check the 'Diagnosis Diseases Based Upon Symptoms' link in my signature, and update this thread w/ any additional information.

 

[NovaAman]

She may have sustained an injury on the body that you aren't seeing... Maybe she has worms... Maybe she has a different parasite... The comb is nothing really, its something else... Check her over completely looking for mites/lice, injuries, is she thinner... Lethargy is a symptom of so many things... Eliminate the possibilities... Narrow it down so to speak. Check her eyes for puffiness, nostrils clear? How is her breathing... Do you have poultry drench you can give her to perk her up?

 

[BinaryChicken]

right now the chickens are all closed in. i will do it in the morning and give you info as soon as i can. her neck/head feathers looked a little damp/ruffed up but i didnt see any cuts on it. she is with 14 other hens and a silkie roo but it was the morning after she had escaped that i saw it so i assume that it was from outside.

 

[cowcreekgeek]

right now the chickens are all closed in. i will do it in the morning and give you info as soon as i can. her neck/head feathers looked a little damp/ruffed up but i didnt see any cuts on it. she is with 14 other hens and a silkie roo but it was the morning after she had escaped that i saw it so i assume that it was from outside.

My fear was that there might NOT be any injury, which would be indicative of disease. If not tonight, then be sure 'n check her for all possible symptoms ... most probably got nearly eaten, and that's why she's this way, but if it's somethin' else? You could wind up w/ more sick chickens ...