Backyard Poultry Forum

Any ideas as to why one hen's wattles have turned white? Her comb is normal (bright red) and there are no other abnormal signs or symptoms. Cheers, Judy

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Devoted Mum to my Australorp Bantam brood.

Any chance of a picture.... ?

Possible causes could be .. but may not be


Without tests hard to tell Judy

"Aplastic Anemia = Also known as:
Infectious Anemia; Adenoviral infection: Aplastic anemia; Chicken anemia agent infection; CAA infection; hemorrhagic anemia syndrome; HAS; hemorrhagic disease; hemorrhagic syndrome; inclusion body hepatitis; IBH"

Fatty Liver Syndrome

Infectious Anemia

Streptococcosis

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Sandy

Thanks Sandy - I'll try to get a picture (have to buy a new battery for the camera first ). I did have a hen with anaemia (who recovered slowly over many months) but her whole face and comb and wattles were pale. What's fatty liver syndrome?? Judy

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Devoted Mum to my Australorp Bantam brood.

Fatty Liver Syndrome

Click Here to read about Fatty Liver Syndrome

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Sandy

Thanks for that Sandy. After reading that info, I don't think it's the issue as the chooks only get grains at night (a handful each scattered in their house, and no corn in the mix. They do get an occasional fresh corn cob to share. They also free range all day so lack of exercise isn't a problem. Checked the camera - new batteries required so won't get a photo till I get to the shops. Judy

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Devoted Mum to my Australorp Bantam brood.

Hi,

I don't know if this is anything like it, but I just saw the link on another poultry site and it reminded me of your problem, Judy. Have a look (if I can get the link in right!) and see what you think.
http://www.mycology.adelaide.edu.au/Fungal_Descriptions/Dermatophytes/Microsporum/Microsporum_gallinae.html

NellyG

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NellyG ........................

Nelly Thanks so much for that link. I did read about this fungus and thought it probably wasn't what my chook has. The photo looks a bit different also. But you never know. It looks like an interesting site to spend some time looking at. I'm going to try and have a closer look at the hen tomorrow - she's not an easy one to catch and the light in their pen after roosting isn't that good, but I need to get a better look. Judy

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Devoted Mum to my Australorp Bantam brood.

Just had a look at Looloo's info about this fungus (called "FAVUS") on BYP...I don't think my hen has the sort of powdery whiteness that is described, but maybe she just has an early version of it and it will get worse. Need to get a stronger torch out there....Judy

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Devoted Mum to my Australorp Bantam brood.

I'm not sure of this information Judy... but I think Favus only attacks the comb...

and your bird has this problem only with the wattles ... or am I wrong..

I also thought of favus... but when I thought you said it has only affected the wattles ... I vered away from Favus

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Sandy

Yes I think that's right Sandy. And the other thing is, the whiteness seems to come and go. If you picture the rounded wattle, then a smaller circle of white within it at the top where it joins the head. Perhaps it is just nothing to worry about. It does seem unusual - mostly when there is a variation in the chooks' colouring it is an all-over paleness. I've seen this in stressed show birds (Australorps) and in mine occasionally, but it doesn't persist. I'll just keep an eye on it for now and see if anything else develops or not. Judy

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Devoted Mum to my Australorp Bantam brood.

Here are a couple of photos of this hen whose wattles are often white - hope you can see what I mean! (Finally got the camera working ).
The funny thing is that when I took the photos, she got annoyed with me and ran away. The effort of running made the wattles turn red again, as they normally are. When she returned to the feed bowl, the wattles returned to white . It's obviously nothing too serious, but funny that it's just the one hen. I wonder what's causing it??? Judy

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Devoted Mum to my Australorp Bantam brood.

hi judy...

Two of my big girls tend to go pale occassionally, sometimes its just a comb or wattle, sometimes its the whole face/head area... but it never persists, so i tend not to worry... i just presumed it was much like we humans blushing/flushing/paling, with mood, time of day, stress etc.

by the way, what is your girl eating?

Hi Sammiiz, yes I think it is just a thing that comes and goes, perhaps just more noticeable in this one for some reason. She's eating her breakfast mash which that day had grated beetroot in it - hence the lovely colour. They have beetroot once a week or so and like it a lot. I try and vary the root vegie addition to their breakfast mash so they'll have carrot, turnip, beetroot, sweet potato and other days maybe grated broccoli stem or chopped bok choy or whatever is handy. Every morning I think "What will I give them for brekky today" . My daughter says I think about the chooks all the time - she doesn't remember that I used to think about the kids (including her) all the time . Cheers, Judy

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Devoted Mum to my Australorp Bantam brood.