Shrinking Comb

[FlockofManyColors623]

I have a hen whose comb has been shrinking the last couple of weeks and her comb, wattles, and face are very pale. She also usually likes to be held and has been avoiding all people lately, but I don’t know if that means anything. She hasn’t been acting lethargic and is eating and drinking as far as I know. Is she sick and is there anything that I can do for her, maybe electrolytes? The first picture is her two months ago and the second is today.

 

[nuthatched]

Just going off lay, maybe molting. Nor a huge deal

 

[Eggcessive]

I agree that she may be starting to molt, and combs usually get a little pale during a molt when they stop laying. She is a pretty campine. How old is she?

 

[FlockofManyColors623]

I agree that she may be starting to molt, and combs usually get a little pale during a molt when they stop laying. She is a pretty camping. How old is she?

She is 8 months old (Born in February)
Her name is River

 

[Eggcessive]

She should be too young to have her first big molt that happens around 18 months of age. Has she been laying eggs? Can you look her over for any mites or lice on her skin under her vent, belly, and elsewhere?

 

[FlockofManyColors623]

She should be too young to have her first big molt that happens around 18 months of age. Has she been laying eggs? Can you look her over for any mites or lice on her skin under her vent, belly, and elsewhere?

I’m not sure if she is laying, it’s hard to tell because we have 30 hens, but I’ve never seen her laying in the nesting boxes. I will look her over for mites and lice tomorrow morning.

 

[FlockofManyColors623]

She should be too young to have her first big molt that happens around 18 months of age. Has she been laying eggs? Can you look her over for any mites or lice on her skin under her vent, belly, and elsewhere?

I didn’t see any mites, lice, or other pests on her. She actually kind of looks like she’s molting but is she too young for that?

 

[Eggcessive]

They can have mini-molts the first year, but the big molt takes place around 1 1/2 old and then yearly thereafter. I would try to note if she is going into the nest boxes. Do you have other white egg layers? Have you seen any worms in any poops around the coop or run?

 

[FlockofManyColors623]

They can have mini-molts the first year, but the big molt takes place around 1 1/2 old and then yearly thereafter. I would try to note if she is going into the nest boxes. Do you have other white egg layers? Have you seen any worms in any poops around the coop or run?

We have 5 white egg layers and we only get around two per day. I will try to watch if she is laying. I don’t even know if she is, or has ever layed. About five weeks ago I found some roundworms in their poops, so we got dewormer, but then we never found any more so we never dewormed them. Then maybe like a week ago, one of the hens was running around with something that looked like a roundworm; those were the only times that I saw worms.

 

[Eggcessive]

Do you have Valbazen or SafeGuard? If you saw worms once, they all probably have worms. I would go ahead and worm her for sure. If you see any more worms, get a picture. Worms can damage the gut, and make her anemic.