Pale comb

[Davidson5]

Hello I have 6 hens and a rooster. I have a couple questions. Do hens ever stop laying eggs in the winter? Also I have noticed that most of my hens have pale like dry skin on their waddles and combs. What does this mean? They are all eating good and drinking good. I have looked for any mites and they are clean. They aren't laying eggs though. They stopped when it go really really cold. But now it's starting to warm up and the a also molting. Is this normal?

 

[chicklover 1998]

It could just be what you said dry skin or it could be favus(a type of fungus-a pic might help) but that isn't likely because it needs warm spring summer type conditions to be able to grow (moist and warm), depending upon the age their first year most will lay through the winter but every year after they will slow down considerably and some may stop altogether, it is like a dog they will shed their winter coat so they aren't getting took hot come this summer.

 

[Davidson5]

Ok. It is there first winter. What do you do if it's just dry skin?

 

[cafarmgirl]

Temperature doesn't have as much to do with egg laying as does the length of daylight hours. Days get shorter, birds stop laying. They will also stop laying when they molt. During this time it is normal for the comb to paler and smaller. Are you sure about their age? Most hens will lay through their first winter and don't have a real molt until their second year.

 

[Davidson5]

Yes we got them last spring. They were babies. They seem to be all molting. They seem fine. They are eating, drinking, nose and eyes all look good. They just rant laying eggs right now and their comb is pale. But other than that they all seem fine. Should I be worried?