so Henrietta is in a safe spot and staying away from the 2 other hens and a Roo that are still alive--the rest were brutally slaughtered last night, Sad day for us. Henrietta is walking -- but not hungry. I put a dropper of Vit B complex, t vinegar, 2 aspirin, and echinacea/goldenseal in 1 gal water. Her comb is completely gone, the blood is dry, and since they roam she is difficult to catch and i don't want to stress her more than she is already. She is drinking very well. So i am hoping the vinegar in water will help heal her, as she dips her beak into it to drink. So here's the Q--will her comb grow back? Does the combs have another purpose other than for the rooster to hold her down? Is it ok for her to not have a comb? any ideas?
Her comb will not grow back. You should apply triple antibiotic ointment or Vetrycin to the area regularly, and it should heal completely. Keep her somewhere warm and quiet the next few days as she gets over the trauma of the incident. This kind of wound is actually quite well documented because it is sometimes done on purpose in show birds of fighting cocks, known as "dubbing." She may look a bit different from now on but she should experience a full recovery. Combs are mostly a sexual characteristic, although they do also help the birds to cool down during the summer.
