Pale comb

[debbiemay]

I have been keeping my girl inside because of bullying. She is doing fine and all healed up but her comb is quite pale.
She seems really happy because she chirps away and squawks like a nut when she lays her egg.
I see that someone suggested vitamins and electrolytes. Is that the thing I should try? I have taken her out for playtime but
now that we have so much snow she just stands in the driest place and waits to go back in. I was wondering if it was lack
of sunshine.
Thanks.
Debbie

 

[boskelli1571]

Hello & welcome!

Vitamin water is a great place to start! It sounds like she is quuite happy with her current arrangements tho'

I think you are probably right in that she needs fresh air & sunshine (don't we all). Just to be sure tho' check her carefully for lice & mites. Mites can suck an awful lot of blood out of a bird. Keep us posted,

 

[debbiemay]

Thanks for your reply. I see you have lots of chickens and I appreciate your wisdom! I never in a million years would have thought I'd have
an actual egg-laying chicken living in my laundry room but here I am. Hopefully we will have a short Winter here in Michigan and she can get back out where she is the happiest and (I think?) belongs. Debbie

 

[boskelli1571]

Thanks for your reply. I see you have lots of chickens and I appreciate your wisdom! I never in a million years would have thought I'd have
an actual egg-laying chicken living in my laundry room but here I am. Hopefully we will have a short Winter here in Michigan and she can get back out where she is the happiest and (I think?) belongs. Debbie

Hahaha! Come Spring, she may decide the laundry room is 'home'...

, they are definitely not stupid birds - Sue

 

[debbiemay]

Sue, either this is one of the smart ones or I am just a total sucker for animals. My son has had parrots in the past. I was OK to hold them for short times but was worried about being nailed by the big strong beaks. Wethead, my in-house, is now jumping up on my hand like the parrots used to do. I haven't really learned the proper hand/arm way to hold her but she is training me. Now to figure out how to potty train her. Chickens are smart but don't seem to care where they relieve themselves.

 

[boskelli1571]

Sue, either this is one of the smart ones or I am just a total sucker for animals. My son has had parrots in the past. I was OK to hold them for short times but was worried about being nailed by the big strong beaks. Wethead, my in-house, is now jumping up on my hand like the parrots used to do. I haven't really learned the proper hand/arm way to hold her but she is training me. Now to figure out how to potty train her. Chickens are smart but don't seem to care where they relieve themselves.

Believe it or not....you can buy chicken diapers!!! who knew??

I also saw a 'pattern' for making your own on one of the other sites - perhaps 'the chicken chick'? anyway, it's got to be better than following behind with a chicken pooper scooper! The correct way to pick a chicken up is to slide your hand under her from the front. You should be able to secure her legs with your index & pinkie fingers. Put your other hand over the flat of her back and lift. That way she is secure. I'm told chickens don't like to be held 'under your arm' - I think it depends on your chicken, I have some that do and some that don't.
I'm sure Wethead will have you trained in no time, but I would draw the line at peeling grapes for her............

 

[chicksurreal]

If she's molting or has recently gone through a molt her comb could be pale from that. My SS Hamburgs just went through a seriously hard molt and their combs were pale for a long time, they also stopped laying for a while. Not sure how old your girl is, but if she's trying to grow new feathers she might benefit from some extra protein.

 

[debbiemay]

She has me trained, alright. I have been holding and spoiling them all, 5 hens, for several months now. None of them mind being held but catching 3 of them is a different sort. I carry the under arm way all the time. This Wedhead is wanting to "step-up'' like my son's Parrot. We almost have it. If I place my hand under her waddle, sort of outside the crop, with the back of my hand toward her, and say 'step-up', she is starting to get the hang of it. I think with the parrots they have different feet that can 'grab' on. The chicken has a smaller 'thumb' and it's a little rocky. She is still a little nervous so she gets to flapping her wings and then we have a game! She is the one that my son used to lay on her back in his lap and she would stay for a long time. Apparently most chickens will do this because they either don't know they don't have to or it immobilizes them some how. It has been a learning experience and joy for sure. I need to do some research on parrots vs. chickens and see if that helps.