PLEASE HELP URGERNT. black substance covering chicken comb

[5Leepy!]

you need to have at least 10 posts to be able to upload pictures. quick go to the welcome section and welcome 7 people. Then go to the top of the form and you'll see "uploads". That's where you upload your pictures to your username. Then copy the link for the upload and post it in your topic.

Hope that helps,
5Leepy!

 

[xlifeisgoodambx]

here is the other hen with the puncture that looks like a scissor cut her

 

[5Leepy!]

Have you tried cleaning off the black substance? Take a warm washcloth or something similar and see if it comes off. It will turn back to redish brown if it's blood but it sure does look like it to me.

 

[xlifeisgoodambx]

yes i washed the comb/ head off with warm soapy water and it came off. it is deffinetly blood.
i couldnt get all of it off but i put neosporin on it. we think she either got into a fight with another hen
or got her head stuck in the fence for a long time. but there doesnt seem to be a cut area... the blood seems to
be everywhere not just her comb..... do you see where it is coming from??

 

[ADozenGirlz]

That's definitely dried blood. Clean it off to be able to see the source of the blood and then clean it out with water or water and betadine. Then put some plain triple antibiotic ointment on the wound. It could have been a scuffle between the chickens or a predator (if yours free range) but my best guess is a squabble in the yard. It probably isn't as bad as you think, it doesn't take much blood to make that kind of mess. Definitely clean them both up and then assess the injuries. You may wish to segregate them both from each other and the rest of the flock so that others don't peck at the injuries, making them worse. A dog crate in the garage or rabbit hutch is a great hospital ward.

Let us know how it goes after the clean-up.

 

[nickie]

If you've ever had dogs with pointy ears and an area with lots of flies you've seen blood like that before. To me that looks like biting flies have been chewing on her comb. Had a husky who's ears looked like that every summer for 16 years. Clean her up, put some ointment on it and see if you can't find something that will keep flies away. Maybe keep them both inside until its healed up nicely. The "cut" mark could be a nasty peck or she got caught up in something. Just my 2 cents tho.

 

[xlifeisgoodambx]

thank you all so much for the information and help.
this is our first year having chickens and this one particular is one
of our healthiest/most attractive ones.
i was so worried when i saw her. My chickens really arent pets...
more like family.... haha im 16 and i really didnt know what could have happened...
yesterday she was completely fine!

 

[cielo]

Aw, poor cluckers! I think they likely got in a brawl, perhaps they were battling it out for top hen? It is surprising how much damage chickens can dish out and take. Sounds like you are doing well to care for them. Keep an eye out, maybe they need more space or places to hide? Sometimes while they are healing other hens will be jealous of their scabs and want to peck at them so watch out for that. Chickens can be rascals.

Story time!
Once upon a time I had an Australorp hen who came unhinged for reasons unknown and one day started beating other hens to bits. Eyes swollen shut, big bloody gashes, torn combs, torn out feathers everywhere. I found 2 of them after work and didn't know who beat them up. Maybe it was mutual? So I patched them up and isolated them to heal. The next day after work another was beat to a bloody pulp and I figured out who did it! I saw her going after the other hens with a wild look in her beady yellow eyes. The perpetrator was dinner after that. I wasn't happy to put her down but that is unacceptable chicken behavior! The 2nd day it was one of my favorite Dark Brahmas who was hurt and she had a huge deep hole in the back of her neck and her face was all beat up. I had to soak open her eyes every morning for a week with a warm washcloth because they'd stick closed during the night while she was healing.

Makes me sad to think about it. She was such a sweet girl and she was really pathetic. I thought she might die but, she didn't, she healed up fine, could't even tell. I really was surprised I mean those poor chickens were BEAT UP, and with relatively minor 1st aid they were back on their clawed scaly feet in a jiffy. Wish I could heal that fast! One of my other hens did have a goofy looking comb once she healed up cause she lost a chunk of it to that loopy Australorp. Then they all lived happily ever after.
-The End

-Cielo

 

[cielo]

Quote:
Flies, really? That's terrible! I'm very happy there are no such flies in quantity here. Ay ay ay.

 

[nickie]

Yep, flies. They can do some damage.