My chicken's comb is half torn off. Need HELP!!

[MyThreesome]

I realize that this thread is old, but reading the posts helped give me courage to do minor surgery on my Speckled Sussex pullet's torn comb today! The thought of gangrene or spreading infection freaked me out more than the thought of taking my sharp, alcohol-cleaned sewing shears to the dangling, discolored section of comb. Sorry I don't have a photo. I'll take one tomorrow of the healing area! I will say that she appeared to feel pain at the cutting off of the piece of comb, as she jerked and squawked. I dabbed Neosporin antibiotic ointment on the cut. One writer suggested doing the surgery at the end of the day, which is what I did. This way she can sleep and not get immediately pecked by her two companions. Also, a point of interest: writers said that dubbed combs don't grow back. I think hers has already begun to grow back where the original was torn off! Perhaps it depends on the breed. Photo to follow...

 

[Judy]

I would be afraid to leave her with the others, for fear she'd get pecked badly first thing in the morning.

 

[MyThreesome]

I'll watch closely in the morning. The torn comb was pretty much ignored by the other two, even when it was bleeding. I will put cornstarch on the wound (which is small), and that might make it less red and noticeable. I hope!

 

[Judy]

BluKote is often used to mask the blood in wounds, and is also an antiseptic.

Good luck.

 

[MyThreesome]

Thank you! That sounds much more veterinarian-like than cornstarch, for sure .

 

[silkiechicken]

I bet what you are seeing is swelling and blood build up instead of re growth. It will "re-grow" as much as a keloid scar "grows"

 

[MyThreesome]

Oh, OK, that could very well be. These are my first chickens...my son's leghorn lost her entire comb to frostbite & it grew back entirely! So, I thought there was a chance that Vita could re-grow a portion of her comb. I was afraid the bump was an infection, but didn't think about scar tissue. I'll take pix. I value your input, friends.

Hopefully the photo of Vita's comb will show up on this edited post. This was the best of many tries to photograph the moving target, and this is my first time uploading a photo to this forum. The dark spot is the scab from where I cut the dangling piece of comb off yesterday. There's no sign of pecking by the other two, and no drainage so I am hoping that she's healing up well. Sometimes the bump (the scar?) looks pink, sometimes yellowish.

On the subject of BluKote, I read that it should not be used on food-producing animals. It seems there are various opinions on this, according to the forum discussions!

 

[spish]

may i asl why people cut off the combs for showing? never heard of that before....

 

[MyThreesome]

Spish, I am a novice in the world of chickens, but in reading about what to do about a torn comb, I did read that certain breeds (like Old English Game Cock) traditionally have their combs removed for showing. Why, I don't know. To me it doesn't make sense to remove any part of an animal for show--although cropping certain dogs' tails is certainly accepted and expected in showing. I think that in some states, requiring the dubbing (comb removal) may be illegal now. Googling the subject "dubbing chickens" will give you lots more information.

 

[CamsCluckinChicks]

I haven't needed to do this yet. I did, however, have to remove spurs from a 2-year old rooster. That was bloody. I actually kept him separated for a couple of days due to not being able to get him to stop mating - thereby reopening his 'wounds'. I have several chickens - right around 35 in that particular Coop. I wouldn't dare leave a bleeding chicken in there...the evil production birds would kill it! I have 2 Red Stars, 1 Black Star & 3 ex-Battery hens (Red Stars). These are also known as production, sex links, etc. I also have 7 Rhode Island Red pullets in there - also can be aggressive when so choose. My Easter Egger's, Jersey Giant's, Salmon Faverolle's, Buff Orpington's & Cochin's are sweeties and play nice with each other.