Rooster with black stripe on comb?!?

[Ursuline Chick]

That is mild frostbite, I am pretty sure. I wouldn’t handle the comb or do anything. Frostbite can take a few days to know how bad it might be. I have had some mild cases look normal later, and since his comb is red above the line, he may be okay. Comb tips with bad frostbite usually become rounded off after several weeks and heal on their own. Many of us in freezing winter climates see this in January and Feb.

Sorry I didn't think of you, will call on you for cold related problems in the future. Thank you on behalf of OP.

 

[BantyChooks]

Frostbite... I am not sure what causes the comb to have only a line of dark tissue but I have seen it a few times.

 

[Eggcessive]

Just Google frostbite in chickens, look at images, and you will note that roosters may typically get that line. Sometimes the upper part will look white at first, then brown or black later. The OP’s rooster doesn’t look too bad at this time, but I might be wrong.

 

[Kristen D]

That is mild frostbite, I am pretty sure. I wouldn’t handle the comb or do anything. Frostbite can take a few days to know how bad it might be. I have had some mild cases look normal later, and since his comb is red above the line, he may be okay. Comb tips with bad frostbite usually become rounded off after several weeks and heal on their own. Many of us in freezing winter climates see this in January and Feb.

Thank you so much for your response! I'm really freaked out right now. The temperatures are suppose to get -4-6-10 degrees over the next 3 days. I certainly hope this doesn't get worse. Should I bring him in?

 

[Kristen D]

Frostbite... I am not sure what causes the comb to have only a line of dark tissue but I have seen it a few times.

Should I bring him in?

 

[Kristen D]

What a

Just Google frostbite in chickens, look at images, and you will note that roosters may typically get that line. Sometimes the upper part will look white at first, then brown or black later. The OP’s rooster doesn’t look too bad at this time, but I might be wrong.

what are my options to stop this from progressing?

 

[BantyChooks]

Should I bring him in?

I wouldn't. Even if you save the comb he just gets to go through it again next year.

It won't kill him.

 

[Eggcessive]

I would agree. Do you have a thermometer in your coop? I have a heat source in my coop right now just to keep the temps in the teens, since we have had subzero temps at night here this week. Many people don’t use heat at all unless it gets 20 below, but I take the chance. It is a personal choice for me, and any heat source can cause a fire. If you do bring him inside to a warmer spot, try to keep him in a cool spot, so that he won’t have such a drastic change when he goes back outside. I would put him back out immediately in the mornings, so that he can tolerate the cold.

 

[Kristen D]

I wouldn't. Even if you save the comb he just gets to go through it again next year.

It won't kill him.

It's beyond freezing weather for here. It won't get this cold here next year hopefully. It's warming up quite a lot this week. Thanks so much everybody for your help! Much appreciated!

 

[Kristen D]

I would agree. Do you have a thermometer in your coop? I have a heat source in my coop right now just to keep the temps in the teens, since we have had subzero temps at night here this week. Many people don’t use heat at all unless it gets 20 below, but I take the chance. It is a personal choice for me, and any heat source can cause a fire. If you do bring him inside to a warmer spot, try to keep him in a cool spot, so that he won’t have such a drastic change when he goes back outside. I would put him back out immediately in the mornings, so that he can tolerate the cold.

They're in a barn. I think I see what I did wrong here. I'm building them a coop next year that way they're forced to be close together, and their body heat will heat up a small chicken coop better. My barn they roost with their own groups, rather than altogether.