What is going on with the Roo's comb? : Diagnosis please

[Eggcessive]

He has a lot of wounds on his comb. Is one of his hens picking on him, or is he hurting his own comb on wire fencing. It looks more like peck marks than injury. They might need to separate him if he is getting picked on.

 

[atalanta]

I don't think its a fence. The marks are pretty uniform on both sides (except for the white powder dust).

You all have been suggesting he's getting picked on. I didn't see him get picked on but I did see him walk A_R_O_U_N_D the Barred Rock-Amerucana Roo (he's really cool, Barred Rock stripes with the Amerucana body and beard) who is much bigger than him. They could be hassling over hens. All the eggs are fertile. Generally its a pretty quiet chicken yard for over 22 chickens and 3 Roos. The two Amerucana Roos are somewhat vocal. Mr. Burns is pretty quiet, he's kinda slow too compared to the others.

 

[artsyrobin]

i don't keep roos together, for that reason, i have mini coops and runs for my extra roos to have their own hens

 

[SurferchickinSB]

I don't think its a fence. The marks are pretty uniform on both sides (except for the white powder dust).

You all have been suggesting he's getting picked on. I didn't see him get picked on but I did see him walk A_R_O_U_N_D the Barred Rock-Amerucana Roo (he's really cool, Barred Rock stripes with the Amerucana body and beard) who is much bigger than him. They could be hassling over hens. All the eggs are fertile. Generally its a pretty quiet chicken yard for over 22 chickens and 3 Roos. The two Amerucana Roos are somewhat vocal. Mr. Burns is pretty quiet, he's kinda slow too compared to the others.

It could be happening at night when they roost together. I have seen mine do that in the evening when I am in the coop. When they try to get situated, sometimes they peck at each other‘s combs. That is the only time I have seen mine do that to each other, so I know when they have those marks on their combs, they have done it at night.

 

[atalanta]

Sorry to say...Mr. Burns just passed. Will be sending him to UC Davis to find out why. Will report back what Davis says. He did seem to have a health issue of some sort (thin chest muscle), wheezing and we don't know how old he was. He was a handsome, gentle soul (aside from nipping ankles occasionally) ❤

 

[SurferchickinSB]

Sorry to say...Mr. Burns just passed. Will be sending to him UC Davis to find out why. Will report back what Davis says. He did seem to have a health issue of some sort (thin chest muscle), wheezing and we don't know how old he was. He was a handsome, gentle soul (aside from nipping ankles occasionally) ❤

Oh, that’s too bad, sorry for your loss.

 

[atalanta]

What is wrong with this Roo's comb? We have an answer from UC Davis. Thank you all for your comfort and speculation.
RESULTS FROM UC DAVIS REPORT: Mr. Burns necropsy
"04/10/2020: The main gross finding is the endocardiosis of the left atrioventricular valve. This lesion was severe enough to cause heart failure as evidenced by the grossly appreciable hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Findings subsequent to this include emaciation, hydropericardium, ascites, and pulmonary congestion and edema. Endocardiosis commonly occurs in older chickens, but the cause is unknown. Microscopic examination to confirm the gross observations is pending. Another report is forthcoming."

 

[Eggcessive]

So sorry for your loss. I am glad that you got some necropsy results. Could he have been pecked by the others because he was feeling weak and they sensed it? I had a young cockerel once who had been the head of his flock for 6 months, and then he developed a problem walking. All his pullets turned on him and chased him into the nest boxes, amking him hide. Even the 1 pound bantam pullet was running at him, and pecking his comb. We put him down that day because I couldn’t stand for him to be abused or hurt. Unfortunately, I was new to chickens, and didn’t get a necropsy.

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

What is wrong with this Roo's comb? We have an answer from UC Davis. Thank you all for your comfort and speculation.
RESULTS FROM UC DAVIS REPORT: Mr. Burns necropsy
"04/10/2020: The main gross finding is the endocardiosis of the left atrioventricular valve. This lesion was severe enough to cause heart failure as evidenced by the grossly appreciable hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Findings subsequent to this include emaciation, hydropericardium, ascites, and pulmonary congestion and edema. Endocardiosis commonly occurs in older chickens, but the cause is unknown. Microscopic examination to confirm the gross observations is pending. Another report is forthcoming."

Thanks for sharing the results! Sorry that you lost the old feller.

 

[atalanta]

So sorry for your loss. I am glad that you got some necropsy results. Could he have been pecked by the others because he was feeling weak and they sensed it? I had a young cockerel once who had been the head of his flock for 6 months, and then he developed a problem walking. All his pullets turned on him and chased him into the nest boxes, amking him hide. Even the 1 pound bantam pullet was running at him, and pecking his comb. We put him down that day because I couldn’t stand for him to be abused or hurt. Unfortunately, I was new to chickens, and didn’t get a necropsy.

Not only that...could he have been "attacking" us because he needed Medical attention? He was an ankle biter when you turned around. He didn't seem mean but he sometimes was "nippy". He clearly liked being around people and was interested in his hens.

Mr. Burns wasn't picked on often. The hens were OK with him. He put on a good show. It was one of the younger Roos who was starting to pick on him but he wasn't getting run out of town. It was more "nick picking". He did raise the whole flock as he was the oldest when they were brought in as chicks.

Maybe Davis' next report will answer some of these questions... stay tuned.