Pale comb on brooding hen.

[smokeater413]

Broody hen about 14 days in, I am concerned about her pale comb and waddle. Anyone confirm or refute my concern?

 

[EggSighted4Life]

View attachment 3516176Broody hen about 14 days in, I am concerned about her pale comb and waddle. Anyone confirm or refute my concern?

Good question. I'd be concerned, does it usually flop like that or is it a new development?

While lightening some is normal in my experience.. paling can be an indicator of anemia due internal or external parasites, malnutrition, or something else.. and sitting hens can be especially sensitive.

I'd get a good look at her skin parting the feathers after dark using a flashlight.. looking for anything crawling away or generally angry red skin below her vent.

What is her age, and usual feed routine including treats and supplements before going broody?

Have you seen her leave the nest once or twice per day or otherwise been able to verify.. by seeing broody poops, feeling if her crop is full, etc?

I do hope she proves to be well!

 

[smokeater413]

Good question. I'd be concerned, does it usually flop like that or is it a new development?

While lightening some is normal in my experience.. paling can be an indicator of anemia due internal or external parasites, malnutrition, or something else.. and sitting hens can be especially sensitive.

I'd get a good look at her skin parting the feathers after dark using a flashlight.. looking for anything crawling away or generally angry red skin below her vent.

What is her age, and usual feed routine including treats and supplements before going broody?

Have you seen her leave the nest once or twice per day or otherwise been able to verify.. by seeing broody poops, feeling if her crop is full, etc?

I do hope she proves to be well!

Age is 15 months
Comb before brood was normal.
Usual feed is a 16% layer pellets
Treats. Occasional food scraps and scratch feed
Yes I’ve caught her leaving nest once or twice.
Have not noticed any bloody poops.
She decided to go broody in bottom of coop, that’s poop all around her. Attempted to move her one night w/o success. She pulled her eggs right back.
Have not palpated crop.

 

[Bertram]

I would say that is normal. When a hen is laying eggs her comb is very red. When she stops it gets paler which is why the combs are usually pale during winter. The same happens when she is broody. It should go back to normal when she stops being broody.

 

[smokeater413]

I would say that is normal. When a hen is laying eggs her comb is very red. When she stops it gets paler which is why the combs are usually pale during winter. The same happens when she is broody. It should go back to normal when she stops being broody.

Ty for replying. Will make note of it.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Have not noticed any bloody poops.

Broody, not bloody.. extra large and smelly usually.

Comb before brood was normal.

Normal for Leghorns *may* be floppy.. but upright is normal for Orpington in MY experience.. And never yet have I had an upright comb go floppy during sitting. I take it your description of normal also means previously upright and not floppy??

Usual feed is a 16% layer pellets
Treats. Occasional food scraps and scratch feed

*Might* be too diminished in protein and amino acids IF she is focused on the treats when she's out eating (or also depending on how much or how often your'e feeding them).

Are you letting her hatch eggs with intent to raise babies? Are her eggs fertile, have you candled them? Or is she sitting without cause?

Have you ever wormed your birds or had fecal float ran to test for parasite load? While they can pass intermittently.. with the slowed digestion of brooding.. might be good chance to see, can usually be ran by any dog/cat veterinarian.

@azygous I know you're wanted everywhere (lol), but surely you've had your share of broody's.. is what you're seeing look like the norm to you? TIA

 

[smokeater413]

Broody, not bloody.. extra large and smelly usually.


Normal for Leghorns *may* be floppy.. but upright is normal for Orpington in MY experience.. And never yet have I had an upright comb go floppy during sitting. I take it your description of normal also means previously upright and not floppy??


*Might* be too diminished in protein and amino acids IF she is focused on the treats when she's out eating (or also depending on how much or how often your'e feeding them).

Are you letting her hatch eggs with intent to raise babies? Are her eggs fertile, have you candled them? Or is she sitting without cause?

Have you ever wormed your birds or had fecal float ran to test for parasite load? While they can pass intermittently.. with the slowed digestion of brooding.. might be good chance to see, can usually be ran by any dog/cat veterinarian.

@azygous I know you're wanted everywhere (lol), but surely you've had your share of broody's.. is what you're seeing look like the norm to you? TIA

Thank you for your reply. I will try to check all the things you listed.

 

[Perris]

I'd offer her a protein boost - live mealworms, tinned sardine, cat food, scrambled egg etc. - and worry only if she refused.

On upright/floppy comb, most of my birds' are stable at whatever pitch they normally have, but I have 3 Penedesenca pullets, and 1 of them has a permanently upright comb, while the other two's may be nearly upright one day and flopped right over the next, so they are not always of fixed habit.

 

[ThePhoebeFive]

I agree with @Bertram. The brightness of the combs are a good indicator of whether your hen is laying, so if she's broody, she's not laying, thus her comb will be pale. As long as her comb normally flops, I wouldn't be worried. My broodies always have pale combs.

 

[azygous]

Are you sure this hen is broody? The first thing I noticed was her pale floppy comb, and it raised a serious concern in my mind even before I read your narrative. I can't recall having any hens lose all normal red color while broody. Not to insist it can't occur.

Does she tick off all the broody signs - irritability, rapid low volume clucking, missing feathers along the keel bone, etc? I've had my share of sick hens that hole up in a nest box to find safety from other chickens who will pester them because they're sick.

Pale combs from hormone depletion is different from hormones involved that cause broodiness in hens. Prolactin, one of the pituitary hormones, is different from estrogen and it's responsible for making a hen go broody. When levels of this hormone increase, it inhibits the production of gonadotropin, which is what stimulates egg production. It's all a much different interaction of hormones than what takes place during molt. This is what causes me concern.