Pale dry looking combs----picture added

[airmom1c05]

I'm interested in this topic, too. My rooster's comb is dry and whitish looking lately. I was hoping it was dust or dirt or dried yogurt, but it won't come off with a warm washcloth. I'm wondering if it's a fungus. If so, I think you can treat it with athlete's foot medicine, but let's all wait to see what more knowledgable folks have to say. I have rubbed his comb with triple antibiotic ointment and it makes it look a little better, but once it wears off, the whitish look is still there.

 

[tazcat70]

I had hesitated to ask this question, now I am glad I did. I too put something on it (bag balm) and it looked good for about a day and then it was back.

There are alot of knowledgeable people on here. Soon we will have an answer.

 

[airmom1c05]

Well, I googled poultry comb problems and this is what I found so far:

do check your chickens for mites.use a Q-tip, and apply poultry dust along the bottom of the combs, and apply some olive oil to the combs.

the other possibility, is Fowl Pox.
if you have any standing water that might attract mosquitos, or a compost pile that attracts insects do get rid of it.

there are 2 different forms of Pox..dry and wet.
the dry Pox will clear up, hopefully with no problems, and fairly easy to treat. just apply a light coat of antibiotic ointment (such as Neopsorin), or betadine to the combs, or wherever you see the spots.

I haven't found anything about fungus and treatments yet.

 

[silkiechicken]

That just looks like a dry comb of a bird that is moulting or under stress of some sort. I wouldn't worry about it. A actively laying bird will get a bigger waxier one, but a bird on "vacation" will have a smaller dryer one like that.

It never hurts to check for mites and so on, but I don't think that is any sort of pox.

 

[airmom1c05]

http://books.google.com/books?id=nrM1AAAAMAAJ&pg=PA147&lpg=PA147&ots=_moTvdHXfz&dq=Poultry+Favus

Read this (you have to advance pages to get to the remedy). It doesn't mention athelete's foot medicine, however.

That would have been too simple, I guess.

 

[CUDA]

I agree with silkie, looks fine to me, I wouldn't worry about it too much.

 

[dlhunicorn]

Oxine and VirkonS misted in the coop or applied (diluted ) on the combs with such whitish looking (suspect favus) lesions will clear up any fugal issues if cuahgt early...cant hurt and often clears any issues up. I live in holland where all is damp damp damp and spray regular to avoid any such issues. To treat the dryness any good hand lotion with a high Aloe vera content will treat that.

 

[tazcat70]

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!!!!!

 

[JaciesCoop]

Wow! I was glad to see about the molting. Because Henry's started looking like that when he started to molt. He doesn't have any spots on his. It's just an all over dry appearance.
I'll put some ointment on it and see if that helps..
Thanks everyone.
Jacie

 

[dlhunicorn]

Molt is really hard on a bird...giving him a good general poultry supplement during this time would really help him also.