Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Poultry and Pets => The Hen House => Topic started by: SurreyLass on May 03, 2011, 18:52
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I have had my 2 girls for about 5 weeks now, I bought them as POL, and one, Milly started laying 5 days after I got her, and has laid every day since.
I have just been out having a chat with them, and noticed that Milly's comb is paler than it was - she laid today and doesnt seem to be doing anything different, BUT I am a huge novice at this, so dont know what else to do.
I bought them vaccinated, and when I cleaned the coop on Sunday afternoon didnt see any signs of beasties.
Thanks in advance for your wisdom in all things chicken!
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Oh and I checked the roosting bars when I cleaned them out and gave it a good clean and treated with DE. I have put some DE in their dust bath.
I am really worried now. What have I done wrong?
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There's probably nothing wrong. Check again tomorrow. If you sitll thing there's something wrong take a picture and let us see it.
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Oh thank you Aunt Sally - was beginning to get a complex because no-one was replying to me!
She is still in charge (watched their bedtime antics, and all was totally normal!!) and is doing everything as normal. Despite being the boss, she is the more timid of the two, and doesnt particularly like me touching her, but she still comes running to see whats what!
Here's hoping all is ok, and I am just being paranoid - mad how quickly these creatures become so important isnt it.
I am going to start apple cider vinegar in their water tommorrow anyway - just given the water holder a thorough scrub out, and will add a bit in the morning, which I was planning to do anyway. I have to be home all day tommorrow for 2 secure deliveries, so its a great excuse to sit and chat to the girls for a while!
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Take some pictures for us. There's noting we like better than chooky pics :D
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What breed are your girls? I have two Light Sussex pullets and their combs seem to change colour on a daily basis. They are not laying yet so a bit different to yours, but in part I think it's just because they are blondies and you can see the changes more dramatically than with some other breeds.
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My 2 lovely ladies are ISA Browns - just lovely brown basic hens! I like to think of them being just what my boys would draw if someone asked them to draw a chicken!
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Okay - lets hope this works! Been out and taken a couple of pics of the girls - I got them as POL on 25th March - Milly started laying on 30th March, and Henrietta 2 weeks later. Milly is the mainly brown girlie, and Henrietta has the cream neck markings and cream bottom!
(http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff255/rebeccaknight/IMG_1195.jpg)
(http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff255/rebeccaknight/IMG_1179.jpg)
Milly is the slightly older one, and I had always noticed that her comb was more coloured than Henrietta's - these pictures show that Milly is currently paler ...... she seems well in herself, not doing anything untoward, and behaving as normal (whatever normal is for a chicken!!!)
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I must say it does look pale, all you can do is keep an eye on her. Perhaps she is just a little pale after chucking an egg out, not used to it yet!! If all else seems well (pooh, eating etc) then I would put it down to the weird world of chucks, she is just an attention seeker trying to freak you out!
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I think you'll find that the redness of your hen's combs/wattles will fluctuate slightly during the course of the day (you have already noticed this with Milly by saying hers is slightly paler).
I have noticed that the combs & wattles of mine can vary slightly from crimson to a paler red/pink colour which also used to worry me. I think it may be something to do with fertility - possibly the redder they are, the more fertile they are and this may attract the attentions of cockerals. I am sure somebody more experienced will come & explain all!
If they seem happy & healthy then I would be more inclined to worry if the combs go paler or turn blueish. Hope this helps!
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They look pretty healthy to me with bright clear eyes.
My chickens combs tend to fluctuate from pale to bright red. I've noticed that sometimes if they have been excited or ruffled in any way they seem to go bright red as if blushing with embarrassment.
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Anyone else have any words of wisdom for me?
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In my humble opinion there is nothing to worry about at all.
Mine all have different coloured combs etc depending on whos laying when. Stop panicking and enjoy them ;)
As long as she is still doing all the chickeny things then dont worry :D
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Anyone else have any words of wisdom for me?
Wooo That sounds a bit sarcastic.
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Anyone else have any words of wisdom for me?
Wooo That sounds a bit sarcastic.
Aaaawww no, Beano I don't think it sounded sarky. I just think SurreyLass wants to make sure she has canvassed all opinions before she stops worrying. :)
Actually SurreyLass, I was thinking about your question when I was out with my girls today and paid praticular attention to their comb colours. I'm more convinced than ever that the colour changes throughout the day, as well as one day to the next. If everything else about the hen is normal, I'm sure there's nothing to be concerned about.
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Your hens look very healthy and alert. My hens combs and waddles turn bright red when they find something yummy like live worms, meal worms, etc. That person is right when stated that they fluctuate through the day - depending on how interested they are in something. If the comb shrinks and is pale, then I'd say your hen is going off the lay.
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I would agree....when mine had a break in the winter their combs changed and when they moult it's the same. All of them are laying everyday at the moment and I've never seen their combs so red! Hormones......
You know if they're ill.....and yours look happy and well.
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Thank you - they already feel like part of the fixtures - dont know what I would do if one of them popped her clogs!
My earlier comment absolutely WASNT meant to be sarky - I REALLY do need words of wisdom, as I dont know what I am doing, so pretty much all my knowledge is coming from here!
Milly (the one I was worried about) is still laying every day - she lays 1st, but it seems to be getting earlier and earlier - I dont get to let them out until 7.00am (desperately trying to work out how to get it done earlier but .....) and this morning she daashed out, scoffed some pellets and legged it back into the house - she was back in there by 7.15am! Think I might need to try and get them out earlier of a morning, but problem is that if I get up earlier, so do the small people in my life, and then by the tail end of the day they are grumpy and tired! Hmmmm one to ponder on!
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Don't worry about letting them out earlier. 7am is plenty early enough :)
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Thanks Casey - I feel guilty I know they would rather be out MUCH earlier! In fairness, I get up at 6.30, and then is the only time I can get a shower in and dry my hair - I tried coming down to let them out before my shower, but then I made my husband late - its all military precision in this house in the morning!!!!