Combs and wattles not as bright

[Blanchesmama]

Hi,

This is our first year with our chickens, so we made sure they had lots of straw, water, food, and a coop that was weather proofed. However, their combs and wattles are not nearly as bright as they were before...they’re more of a light pink than the bright red they were. How do I know if they need to go to the vet?

 

[Mary's Backyard Chickens]

This could mean that the chicken is egg bound. What other symptoms are they showing?

If they're showing things like fatigue and stress, they're probably egg bound. You don't need to go to the vet. Just get a big bowl with warm water and Epsom Salt and let your chicken soak in it for about 20 minutes every day for 5 days.

 

[azygous]

Light pink wattles and combs are still healthy. It just signifies lower hormone levels. When we get nearer to spring, you'll see the wattles and combs transforming into red, plump, moist tissue that you're longing to see.

The color of a comb that indicates a sick chicken is a dusky purple or grey.

Also behavior, more than anything, will let you know when a chicken is sick. A sick chicken goes completely mute where before they are very talkative. A sick chicken will hang out away from the others, facing the wall or corner, and the tail will be held low and flat, not to be confused with posture when roosting, though. Tails are often held low for balance in that case.

A sick chicken will also have droopy eyes or eyes closed. Poop is also an indicator of health, so keep watch for changes in poop. Poop can tell you as much as behavior.

 

[Mary's Backyard Chickens]

Light pink wattles and combs are still healthy. It just signifies lower hormone levels. When we get nearer to spring, you'll see the wattles and combs transforming into red, plumb, moist tissue that you're longing to see.

The color of a comb that indicates a sick chicken is a dusky purple or grey.

Also behavior, more than anything, will let you know when a chicken is sick. A sick chicken goes completely mute where before they are very talkative. A sick chicken will hang out away from the others, facing the wall or corner, and the tail will be held low and flat, not to be confused with posture when roosting, though. Tails are often held low for balance in that case.

A sick chicken will also have droopy eyes or eyes closed. Poop is also an indicator of health, so keep watch for changes in poop. Poop can tell you as much as behavior.

I never thought about that

 

[staceyj]

Welcome to the family flock of byc!

Comb color is an indicator of health, blood supply, oxygenation even. But also it’s a hormonal flag. When hens are sexually mature and productive their combs and wattles are big and plump and bright red.
Depending on their age (are they of laying age yet?) and your general geographic location, which would really be good for you to add to your profile so the rest of us can tell whether you’re in Sidney Australia or Dearborn Michigan for example, it doesn’t necessarily mean that anything at all is wrong!

If you live in North America the days are short in winter and with shortened days many chickens suspend or decrease egg production until the days get a little longer. And they are getting a little longer now as we’ve passed the shortest day of winter and are on the upswing now thank goodness.
You might say because of this that chickens are solar powered creatures!
Commercial egg operations add artificial light to keep the hens churning out eggs year round until they are spent.
You’ll find that some people here do it to some degree and others let their hens take a break and follow nature. During that time their combs and wattles shrink in size and revert back to a pale pink or light red color.
Also chickens molt in the fall/ winter (no sense at all here) and feather production is a huge production that takes time, bodily resources and extra protein. During molt you may see some weight loss and a drop off of appetite as well.
It’s just too much to ask for eggs and a new fluffy coat of feathers at the same time.

Yes a sick bird may have a pale comb (worms or other parasites, cardiac insufficiency, serious illness) but so long as they aren’t acting sick and are eating and drinking they are probably fine.