Issue on Combs and Faces of My Older Baby Chicks

[Jillio]

We have some baby chicks that are between the ages of six and eight weeks old right now. They are wonderful! Lately when I go out to visit them I have begun to notice a very minor scabbing on some of the combs and faces of the chicks. It seems like dry skin is peeling away and there’s a little bit of a scab where the old skin was. It is even affecting the combs on a couple of them to where the notches on the comb seem flatter than they should. I hope that makes sense. It does seem very minor but I would really like to know if this is an issue I should be concerned about or treat somehow! Here are pics of two of my Easter eggers. Thank you!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Could be scabbing from picking or rubbing the faces against wiring.

Combs look a bit dry. If you wish, you warm a tiny amount of vaseline between your fingers and apply a thin layer on the combs to help with healing. The vaseline will attract dirt, so don't freak out if you go out and their combs are a different color like dirt.

 

[Jillio]

Appreciate that. Will do! My chicken’s combs usually look dry. Do yo my know what causes it in a whole flock? We feed fermented scratch and peck feed. I wonder if they are lacking vit E or something like that.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Appreciate that. Will do! My chicken’s combs usually look dry. Do yo my know what causes it in a whole flock? We feed fermented scratch and peck feed. I wonder if they are lacking vit E or something like that.

What's your climate like?

 

[Jillio]

Previously we lived in northern California (Redding) which is the driest climate I have ever been a part of (except it rains a lot in winter). And now, we live in Texas where it has been very dry with little rain all year. However, we have three separate flux right now that we are getting ready to integrate one at a time into. And only one of the flocks has this issue! They are on grower feed where the other two are on layer and starter feed.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Could be dry weather.
I'm not sure. Sometimes I have a few with a dry comb and just put a bit of vaseline on them and it helps for several months.