Shriveled Comb

[Rick&Chris]

One of my girls has a very shriveled comb. It used to be huge, but this fall when she was molting it got pale and small. I assume from the molt? She looked like she went thru a wood chipper but now her feathers are back and beautiful - but she is still not laying. Here is a current and before picture (from August 2019). Will it come back to its full beauty? Thoughts?

 

[coach723]

As the days lengthen and hormones start flowing again she will likely get redder again. Molt can be hard on them and some will get pretty pale and peaked looking. Then the shortened daylight hours will send some of them into vacation from laying for a while, depending on breed and age, it can take longer in some. But if she's still in laying age and healthy otherwise, then this spring you should see her start to redden up again as she gets close to laying again. In my flock right now my year olds are very red and still laying, my older birds are paler and not laying.

 

[Rick&Chris]

As the days lengthen and hormones start flowing again she will likely get redder again. Molt can be hard on them and some will get pretty pale and peaked looking. Then the shortened daylight hours will send some of them into vacation from laying for a while, depending on breed and age, it can take longer in some. But if she's still in laying age and healthy otherwise, then this spring you should see her start to redden up again as she gets close to laying again. In my flock right now my year olds are very red and still laying, my older birds are paler and not laying.

Thanks @coach723 !! I hoped that was the case. My girls are all 16 months old. Most of them are still bright red. I am averaging 4-5 eggs per day from 10 hens, so I know they are taking a winter break ... I don’t blame them!

 

[Redhead Rae]

Perfectly normal. My hens' combs shrink when they stop laying because of molt and when they go broody.