Rooster with Pale Comb and Sores

[JackieK318]

I am just having all sorts of chicken problems...

My Splash Andalusian has had his comb pecked by my EE (at least this is what I believe). Where it is pecked it is a bit swollen at the wound. I noticed yesterday that his comb is a very pale pink (his comb always was baby pink), but now it's nearly white in some spots. Any ideas? Could this be pertaining to Coccdia the my chickens are currently being treated for?

 

[JackieK318]

Help! PLEASE!!! Could this actually be Marek's???

 

[dlhunicorn]

Mareks will present with a paralysis usually ... the pale comb would just be indicative of the lost blood from the hen pecking him... you say he is being treated for cocci so that could also have to do with that... offer them some free choice live culture (not the desert kind) yogurt and add some cooked smashed egg through their feed ...

 

[JackieK318]

Thanks! I gave him some watermelon and his comb is pinking back up. They've just finished 55 hours of medicine - so it could be he's re-hydrating or the medicine is working. Unfortunately, I lost my 'purse chicken', Gucci. I fed him water with medicine in a dropper and gave him some cooked egg. He was the one with red droppings since Tuesday though. One of my new partridge rocks has red droppings (at least she did this morning). Gucci was laying down panting last night, so I placed him by himself, but he was just too weak to stand. He could walk and preen until the end. I just feel so horrible for their suffering.

Please, anyone else with tips, let me know. I'm off to get yogurt!

 

[dlhunicorn]

the watermelon and yogurt are additional sources of hydration for your birds in hot weather... feed should be removed during the day (watermelon and fruit / greens will keep them from being bored and give an additional source to peck and hydrate)...unfortunately really sick birds will often not drink enough and therefore run the risk of not getting the necessary quantity of meds... cocci can kill your birds quick and leave their intestines damaged compromising their immune systems even after cured... best to use medicated starter really for chick feed... hope they are all well on way to recovery now

 

[JackieK318]

I think that was my #1 mistake: switching to non-medicated feed since the feed store was out. I should have just waited until the other feed shop opened in the morning. Thanks for all your help!

Should I not keep their feeders full during the day? I have filled them 3 times today (they have two plastic half gallon ice cream containers).

 

[SpottedCrow]

I'm sorry you lost Gucci...
Chicks, in my opinion should ALWAYS be on medicated starter. Tom and Jerry never got cocci and they were the first chicks I ever had.
When it's hot you should give the food later in the day, when it's cooler, because digestion causes the body temperature to rise.

 

[JackieK318]

I just wanted to thank everyone who responded or looked. My rooster is better - his comb is pinker than it ever was! It's now mauve - so I'm super excited! I do still have him separate though just to be safe.

Everyone else seems to be doing well also on the medicine. I got back on medicated Start and Grow - whew! And since Gucci passed, no more sores on any chickens and everything is calmer in the coop, so I bet my buddy was being a little butthead to everyone else!!!