Breeding chickens in the household is a very important process, since the owner in this case receives not only eggs, but also meat. It is imperative to keep your livestock healthy. It happens that chickens suddenly begin to die, and the owners do not know what to do in these cases. But the symptoms of the disease could be recognized in advance, one had only to look closely at their pets. First of all, you need to pay attention to the comb. If the comb turns blue in chickens and they die, the veterinarian should tell you what to treat.

What does the comb look like, its functions

A crest is called a formation on the head of birds. This is a kind of outgrowth of a fleshy consistency, which is inherent in the order of chicken. It is needed for thermoregulation of the chicken's body, redirects blood to the skin of the bird's body. It becomes more intense in color as a result of puberty. Similar signs are activated at the time of breeding chickens. Birds of other species have a crest on their heads.

Few people know that the comb of a rooster or chicken comes in different types and shapes. For instance:

  1. Leafy - This crest is found in common chickens. It has a flat shape with large teeth. It is both in an upright position and can be hung to the side.
  2. Pinkish. Its shape is quite unusual. It looks like a plaque in a horizontal position and with tubercles. At the end, the tubercles converge into one large spine.
  3. The pea scallop resembles a pea pod.
  4. Its nut-like shape is similar to the previous version, but at the same time it has a greater compaction and is somewhat reminiscent of a half of a walnut.
  5. Horny. Already at the very base, this ridge begins to bifurcate into two parts.
  6. Crown. This option is an exact copy of the horn-shaped one, with the difference that its parts have several separate teeth.

Chickens

Many people like this organ in cockerels so much that they are happy to make masks of this bird with their own hands. To do this, use a diagram or template, the drawing of which is transferred to blue paper and a pattern is made.

The rooster's comb turned black, what is it and how to treat it

Why do chickens die

Many are interested in the question: "Why does a rooster's comb turn blue in summer?" If the comb of the rooster has changed in color and turned blue, this means that the bird's health is not all right. Having examined it more closely, you can determine the disease and prescribe treatment.

The comb turned black

If the comb has turned black on the rooster, then the first reason may be a banal vitamin deficiency. It is possible to correct the situation if a sufficient amount of vitamins is introduced into the feed. In this case, it is necessary to completely protect the individual from the general herd and monitor the state of his health.

The rooster's comb has turned black

A blackened organ may also indicate a more serious illness - pasteurellosis. This disease is infectious and can infect an entire herd as soon as possible. In this case, the death of the bird is not excluded.

Important! Pasteurellosis occurs when the hen house is not clean enough. In this case, the infection can get into it with the help of infected equipment.

This disease develops very quickly. If the comb has turned black in chickens, then you should observe them throughout the day.

When symptoms such as:

  • lethargy;
  • discharge from the beak and nostrils;
  • green feces

Pasteurellosis is known to everyone as cholera. Many people understand that it is almost impossible to fight it. But still, at the first symptoms of birds, you can be cured if you use antibacterial drugs, as well as sulfonamides. If the bird is sick for several days, then it should be immediately killed and disposed of. After that, the entire room must be cleaned and disinfected. For this purpose, lime and smoke bombs are used.

Important! With a black shade of the comb, you should immediately feed the rooster with vitamins. If after that he remains sluggish, then you should definitely contact a specialist who diagnoses the disease and prescribes a course of treatment, tells you what to do and why.

Frostbite ridge

There are situations when a rooster has black spots on the comb. This happens when a bird, being outside in severe frost, simply freezes its scallop. In case of frostbite, the color of not only the comb, but also the earrings and legs will change.

Then the following measures are taken:

  1. The bird should be taken to a warm room, where all the frozen body parts will move away and begin to function normally.
  2. Twice a day, smear the organ with alcohol or brilliant green.
  3. In addition, goose fat and turpentine are great help.

Spots on the ridge

Although frostbite has nothing to do with reproduction, you still need to get rid of this trouble.

The crest is bleeding

In most cases, the blood on the comb indicates that the two males did not share territory, and in the process of sorting out the relationship, the cockerel was injured. There are times when chickens beat a young rooster. Then this individual is separated from the main herd.

The wound must be treated with a weak solution of potassium permanganate. They can stop the bleeding, as well as disinfect the cut site. If this is not done, then the rooster's tips will first turn black, and after that they will completely fall off.

To the question "Why do chicken scallops turn blue and they die?" there are many answers, one of which says that a change in the color of the comb in a chicken means that there is something wrong with its health. In this case, you should contact a specialist even in the case when completely minor symptoms have appeared.

Important! If this organ of the chicken has turned almost brown, these are the first warning signs of a pseudo-plague disease. This disease spreads in the case when the chicken ate the waste or shells from boiled eggs. That is why the comb turns black in chickens.

During the incubation period, the disease is invisible. Only after the blackness appeared on the ridge, it can be assumed what the diagnosis of the bird might be. Each individual identified with the disease must be kept in a separate room. The poultry house must be disinfected, and the birds themselves must be monitored for a month and given drugs for prevention. It should be taken into account that a sick bird is not treated. It must be killed and disposed of to avoid future contamination.

The comb turned blue

If the comb of a chicken turns blue, this indicates that the bird has become ill with a very serious disease that cannot be cured. This disease is called bird flu, from which birds will quickly die.

Avian flu in chickens

Its main features should be considered:

  • Blue or blackening of the organ;
  • The bird begins to breathe heavily;
  • The lethargy is manifested in the livestock;
  • The voice will wheeze;
  • Swelling of the neck and head;
  • Mucous discharge appears from the beak and nose.

If the specialist really recognized the bird flu disease, then the livestock urgently needs to be killed and disposed of. The poultry house is disinfected, otherwise other birds that are placed in the infected poultry house will also die. The incubation period lasts only two to three days, during which time you need to observe the chickens.

On a note! In winter, chickens can also freeze the scallop, it will darken and turn purple.To get rid of this unpleasant sensation, the birds should be placed in a warm room, from where they come out completely healthy. In addition, the sore spot is smeared with petroleum jelly or rubbed with alcohol.

White bloom on the crest

Sometimes they ask: "Why does a chicken have a pale scallop?" The appearance of a white bloom on the hen's crest, which gradually affects the catkins, means that the bird has been hit by scab. Moreover, this disease is popularly called the "white comb". In this case, the slaughter of poultry is not carried out, since this disease can be easily cured. During this time, the chicken feels bad and becomes lethargic.

As soon as the first sign of illness appears, the room must be cleaned up and disinfected immediately. Places that are affected by the disease must be lubricated with glycerin along with iodine. For this product, you should take a proportion in the ratio of one part of iodine and five parts of glycerin and mix thoroughly until smooth.

White bloom on the crest

Answers to frequently asked questions

Many people ask a question on the forums: "Why does broilers' comb turn blue?" The first reason may be an increase in body temperature. Alternatively, discoloration can occur due to disease in the bird as a result of infection.

Why do chickens die?

If the farmer noticed changes in the appearance of the chickens, they should be immediately shown to the veterinarian. Or just make changes to their conditions of detention.

Note! If the chicken's scallop has become pale, this most likely means that it does not receive the feed that is necessary for its life. First of all, it may indicate that the bird is unhealthy.

A whitish crest can be caused by:

  • Leukemia;
  • Ascariasis;
  • Tuberculosis.

In these cases, it is imperative to take action and treat the birds in a timely manner.

Diseases of birds have different symptoms, but one remains, almost the same for all birds - a change in the color of the comb of chickens or rooster. In order to heal the livestock in time, it is necessary to carefully monitor the chickens and roosters. At the first infection of individuals with a disease, treatment should be started immediately, otherwise the birds may disappear. Only in the case of careful care and keeping the birds in the house will the poultry house achieve high productivity of chickens, that is, it will receive not only eggs, but also meat.