Pecked and semi-detached comb

[Orit]

Grafting a torn bit of tissue back onto the wound only works if you do it immediately following the injury. Notice the blackening of the comb where it's detached. That means there is no blood supply there. When blood supply has been cut off, the tissue quickly dies. That blackened tissue is dead.

Now, you may either leave the flap alone and it will eventually fall off on its own, or as @raingarden pointed out, you may trim the loose flap off using sharp scissors, making sure you cut away all the blackened tissue.

It will bleed when you do this, so have some flour or sugar or corn starch handy to put on the bleeder. It will cause a bit of pain when the comb is dubbed, but chickens deal with pain well, and it will only hurt for a few minutes.

To ease the chicken's reaction to the surgery, give her some Gatoraid to drink or mix some sugar into her drinking water for the rest of the day.

Oh - I really blew it! I don't think I am capable of the surgery - would probably pass out before I even started. It will be OK if I leave it? I will continue to spray with Vetericyn a few times a day. How long should I do this for? Also, should I put Neosporin on for good measure? Is she vulnerable to being pecked having half her comb hanging like that? Thanks again!

 

[Orit]

The glue will not stick either. I'd cut the loose flap off with scissors and then treat with topical antibiotic. Fighting cocks routinely have their comb dubbed without problem.

Thank you also. Not the news I wanted to hear but it is what it is. This may be a dumb question, but do combs grow back?

 

[azygous]

No. Combs will not grow back. There is a risk that the dangling tissue will invite grabbing by passing beaks and causing further tearing from the scalp. If all you do is cut off the dangling parts, that can help.

Why don't you ask Me Google to find you some videos on comb dubbing to watch? You'll see it's really nothing more complicated or scary than trimming a dangling thread from your coat hem. With a little bit of blood tossed in, of course. But pretend you aren't scared of a little blood.

Dubbing combs is a virtual risk free procedure. A five-year old child could do it with their kindergarten scissors.

 

[Orit]

No. Combs will not grow back. There is a risk that the dangling tissue will invite grabbing by passing beaks and causing further tearing from the scalp. If all you do is cut off the dangling parts, that can help.

Why don't you ask Me Google to find you some videos on comb dubbing to watch? You'll see it's really nothing more complicated or scary than trimming a dangling thread from your coat hem. With a little bit of blood tossed in, of course. But pretend you aren't scared of a little blood.

Dubbing combs is a virtual risk free procedure. A five-year old child could do it with their kindergarten scissors.

Oh boy! Just thinking about makes me feel faint! I'm going to need to ask a friend to come over to help.

 

[raingarden]

From what I know, you just need a good pair of shears and stiptic powder or corn starch to stop the bleeding. Wrap the bird in a towel and snip it off. It will be completely healed in three weeks.

 

[Gobekli Pepe]

Azygous dropped some great info for future reference, but as they and Raingarden said, it's already too late. Not much to be done once something starts necrotizing like that, but removing the necrotic flesh can help keep it from getting worse and prevent infection. Poor bird. I hope it all goes well.

 

[TheCackleberryInn]

I successfully integrated my March-hatched chicks (now 19 weeks old) into my existing flock awhile ago. Other than the usual pecking, everything has been fine for about a month. Today I noticed that one of their comb's was half blue. Then I noticed it was detached from her head and bleeding (half of the comb). I'll deal with the bully, but how should I treat her comb? I know I need to cover the blood so it doesn't invite more pecking, but how do I do that, and what should I do to treat the wound?


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I successfully integrated my March-hatched chicks (now 19 weeks old) into my existing flock awhile ago. Other than the usual pecking, everything has been fine for about a month. Today I noticed that one of their comb's was half blue. Then I noticed it was detached from her head and bleeding (half of the comb). I'll deal with the bully, but how should I treat her comb? I know I need to cover the blood so it doesn't invite more pecking, but how do I do that, and what should I do to treat the wound?


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I hope your treatments worked for you! I was so relieved to find this post as this very same thing just happened to one of my Buff Orpington's today. I didn't have a clue what to do about this!! Never have I seen this happen before...I just knew my BYC peeps would have some tried and true suggestions. Will gently clean her with a saline rinse first, then try "gluing" her gorgeous red comb back into place with a plain neomycin ointment (no pain relief ingredients). Thank you for the backyard medical care advice in this thread!!!