I couldn't find this anywhere else, and it begs to be asked... I bought all of my chicks and eggs in Feb/March and this will be our first winter with them. Over the summer my hens combs (Buff Orps and New Hampshire Reds in particular) were large and "floppy". So much so that my Buff Orpington's comb completely covered one eye. As I was out last night giving them treats, I noticed the once large and floppy combs have "shrunk" down to a short, normal, non-floppy size. Is this due to the colder weather? Sort of like "I was in the pool"? (Seinfeld reference.) (Also, I realize this is not a "behavior" or "egglaying" question, but it's not an emergency disease either. Not sure if I should have posted somewhere else.)
My hens combs will shrink down if they are molting and/or not laying. I have a white leghorn who normally has a huge comb and hers is shrunken and miniature right now. Last year I had a hen going through a rough molt and her comb not only shrunk but turned blue. Yikes. She came through it okay and she is fine now. Her comb is normal again. Make sure your hen is getting plenty of protein as a change in comb is definitely a change in some sort of body condition.....be it molting, winter cessation fo laying, etc.
Quote:I have a question. You say plenty of protein. I'm providing 17% protein pellets to the chicks should you add more protein such as meat, scrambled eggs or just quit feeding treats so you force the birds to eat the pellets only.
Quote:The blue comb your hen had is weird...scarey even! The girls have practically ceased laying. In October my flock went through a terrible cocci and respiratory "thing". After medicating them, I have decided to give their little bodies a break and not add supplemental light to encourage their laying (we were swimming in eggs before this, so it was a nice break for us). Out of 100 chickens...not one is molting. I wasn't sure if the cold weather was coincidence. Thanks for connecting some dots for me.
