please help broody hen has ANTS on her and a BLACK comb?

[chickenmama109]

hi i have two eggs under my d,uccle hen she is not getting off the nest at all and there are ants crawling on her back and around where she is sitting on her eggs she also has a comb that is becoming black what do i do what is wrong and how do i get rid of the ants. thanks

 

[meetthebubus]

maybe the situation is different in person for you, but ants are intolerable and bite at you, but broody's sometimes are just so determined they would die of hunger, thirst, heat or a bunch of ants before they leave the nest
i usually hate telling people what to do or sounding harsh, i hate it when others sound really harsh and rude, i just think she's probably more stressed now staying than if you move her, i know my broody hen last summer lost so much weight, i had to hand feed her and everything just so she wouldn't die in the heat, etc.

 

[Kiki]

Sounds like the others are probably pecking her and caused the injury to her comb.

I'd move her to a safe place.

Good luck.

 

[Kiki]

NOT frostbite.
Is someone pecking her comb?

 

[le_bwah]

Feather loss could be broodiness, or it could be from irritation. I don't think you're going to "break" your bird. Not giving her care will likely do more harm than moving her. Let her sit her eggs indoors, get her free of ants, and take care of the rest of the bugs so they don't harm your other hens.

 

[azygous]

Is there a bad smell coming from that comb? It appears there is a bad infection with necrotic tissue. No wonder the ants were after her.

You need to treat that comb. Do you feel up to doing a little intensive first aid and maybe a bit of surgery? If so I can tell you what you need to do.

Otherwise, you really need to have a vet look at this hen.

 

[meetthebubus]

The ants can kill her too by making her sick move her right away is my opinion while you help her

 

[azygous]

Can you post a picture of this black comb? A closeup. And select "full size image" when you post it.

The ants can easily be gotten rid of by dusting everything with Poultry permetrin dusting powder.

 

[le_bwah]

Thanks here is a photo of her comb sorry about the poop in the nest box I have to clean today lol and the white stuff on the comb is this stuff I put on it View attachment 1390743 View attachment 1390745 View attachment 1390742And here is the stuff I put on her comb View attachment 1390746

Ouch, poor hen, that doesn't seem very comfortable. You said it's actually painful for her? It looks a bit like frostbite, but would that even make sense for your area? I don't know which problem is more pressing for you, but as has been said, ants can be taken care of pretty easily. That comb looks more serious. Wish I knew how to help.

 

[Kiki]

I wouldn't trust DE to get rid of anything.

Have you moved her away from the ants yet?
If not...do so sooner rather than later.