One tip of my hens comb is black!

[mdkight]

Any one have any idea what this could be? She's the only one with it and it can't be frostbite. It hasn't gotten cold in Texas. Please help. I put Vaseline on it.

 

[azygous]

Combs get injured pretty easily. They almost never get infected, but if the injury is serious enough, the tips of the comb could blacken and fall away.

It certainly does resemble a frostbitten comb. Are you sure it hasn't gotten down to freezing? If the humidity is high enough, and the temperature got to freezing in your coop, she could have frostbite.

When tissue blackens, there's usually no chance to save it. But there is also a good chance those are just blackened scabs caused by dried blood, and the comb will heal and look normal again once it does.

 

[mdkight]

Thank you so much for the reply. It definitely hasn't gotten near freezing here which is why I'm so confused as to what it is. If it falls off naturally will she be okay?

 

[azygous]

She will be fine. Chickens lose their comb tips all the time, and they do okay.

I even had a hen who injured a talon and it self amputated, and she was fine.

Your hen probably isn't going to lose her comb, though. I'm betting it's just an injury and it will heal very quickly.

 

[mdkight]

Thank you so much! I'll have to see what happens.