Pepper’s dirty comb

A couple of weeks ago I noticed a dark smudge on Pepper’s comb and thought it was the spiky feathers she has at the edge of her comb. I then noticed that it was a bigger splodge and thought, that with all the digging and scratching she has been doing since the ground has dried out, it was probably dirt.

A black mark on Pepper’s comb, a couple of weeks ago

Today Pepper looks like she has a dirty comb

Here is Dotty’s comb for comparison

I know from reading about chickens that they can get frost bite on the tips of their combs which can turn the tips black. It hasn’t been so cold though in recent weeks plus the dominiques are very cold hardy and have pea combs which because they are small are far less vulnerable and Bluebell who has a large floppy comb (more vulnerable to cold conditions) has no black on her comb.

I could only conclude that it must be dirt and that as the run is now covered for the winter months, they are not exposed to rain, so there is nothing to wash it off. I couldn’t help but worry though, I don’t want to miss something that could be a potential problem.

Pepper is happy, active, eating well and laying an egg most days, so I know it’s not bothering her. I decided that the only way to find out if it was dirt was to try to wash it off.

Just before their bedtime me and my husband went in with a bowel of warm water and a new washing up sponge. I picked Pepper up and handed her to my husband to hold. I dipped the sponge and rubbed gently on her comb. She was very good, chickens don’t like their heads touched, but as I gently stroked her comb upwards she accepted it. A lot of dirt came off on to the sponge. I couldn’t get all the dirt out of the deepest crevice in her comb but didn’t want to risk her getting stressed.

My husband thinks that perhaps when she has had yogurt and it has splashed on her face and comb, the dirt form scratching and digging, has then stuck to it.

She looks a lot cleaner and at least I now know that it is just dirt. She is such a sweet girl and didn’t hold it against me. She was still happy to be close to me while she continued her bedtime routine and seemed none the worst for her experience.

I will try to get a comparison photo soon but Pepper is the most difficult of the girls to photograph.

I certainly didn’t realise before having chickens how intimate I would become to them. I never imagined washing a chickens comb or any of the up close and personal experiences I had with poor Treacle, but I didn’t know I would love them so much either! I watch them closely and find them so cute and funny. I love their funny ways and characters. I love that they perch on me at any given moment and follow me even when I am on the other side of the mesh. I also think they look so beautiful. These girls have worked their way firmly into my heart.