A chicken comb is a distinctive fleshy red growth on the top of a chicken’s head This unique feature plays an important role in helping chickens regulate body temperature, attract mates, and signal health status
What Does a Chicken Comb Do?
Chicken combs serve several important functions
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Temperature regulation – Chickens do not sweat like humans. Instead, they rely on their combs and wattles to release excess body heat. The comb is filled with blood vessels that allow hot blood to flow near the surface and release heat. This helps cool the chicken.
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Attracting mates – Combs signal health age and reproductive status. Large, bright red combs attract hens looking for virile mates. Hens have combs too, allowing roosters to assess their reproductive fitness.
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Health indicator – The size, color, and texture of the comb offers clues about a chicken’s health. Normal combs are red and plump. Pale, shriveled, or discolored combs can signal illness or stress.
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Recognition – It is thought that chickens may use comb shape and size to recognize flockmates.
Types of Chicken Combs
There are 9 basic types of chicken combs:
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Single – Most recognizable comb type. Long, upright comb with distinct points. Seen in breeds like Leghorns.
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Pea – Small, low comb covered in rounded bumps. Resists frostbite. Found in Brahmas.
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Rose – Broad, flat comb with short blunt spikes. Cold hardy. Seen in Wyandottes.
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Cushion – Smaller version of single comb, rounded. Seen in Chanteclers.
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Strawberry – Large, fleshy comb. Resembles a strawberry. In Malays.
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Buttercup – Double row of points forming a crown. Very rare. Sicilian Buttercups.
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V-shaped – Horn-like points forming a V. Seen in La Fleche.
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Walnut – Wrinkled, mulberry-colored comb. Seen in Orloffs.
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Carnation – Single comb with extra rear points. Seen in Empordanesa.
Do All Chickens Have Combs?
Yes, all chicken breeds have combs. However, certain breeds have very small combs that are harder to see. Chickens with smaller combs tend to be more cold-hardy, while large combs allow better heat dissipation.
Chicks start out with tiny combs that grow as they mature. Roosters develop larger combs than hens. Dubbing is the act of surgically removing the comb, usually done for cosmetic reasons. This practice is controversial and often considered inhumane.
Why Are Chicken Combs Red?
The red color comes from the abundant blood vessels located just under the surface of the comb. More blood flow allows better heat exchange. The white Leghorn breed has a comb with fewer blood vessels, giving it a pale appearance.
Darker colored combs, seen in breeds like Silkies, get their color from melanin pigments in the skin. This natural sunblock prevents comb burns.
Do Hen Combs Matter?
Yes! Hens need combs too. Hen combs are smaller than rooster combs but serve the same important functions.
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Hens with large, vibrant combs are more reproductively fit and lay more eggs.
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The comb signals mating readiness. Hens with pale, shrunken combs are not in lay.
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It helps regulate body temperature, especially important during hot summers.
So while less showy, the hen’s comb should not be overlooked. It is a key indicator of health and laying status.
Common Comb Problems
Chicken combs are prone to injury and disease:
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Frostbite – Freezing damage causes blackened, dead tissue. Prevention is key.
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Lice/mite damage – Parasites feed on comb tissue causing scratches and scabs.
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Fowl pox lesions – Contagious viral disease. Causes wart-like nodules on comb and face.
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Pecking injuries – Overzealous flockmates can damage combs. Watch for bullying.
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Cuts/wounds – Combs bleed heavily. Apply pressure and antiseptic ointments.
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Heat stress – Heavy panting and purple-red combs signals overheating.
Good nutrition, clean housing, and preventative care keeps combs healthy. Seek veterinary care for any abnormal appearances.
The comb is an important and useful feature of all chickens. This unique organ helps regulate body temperature, attract mates, and signal health status. Learning to read your chicken’s comb can help you provide better care and detect illness early. With proper housing and care, chickens can keep their combs healthy and vibrant.
What is a Chicken Comb?
Chicken combs are the red growths on top of a chickens head. In rare cases, chicken combs can be black or a shade of purple. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes, but there are nine recognized types: walnut, strawberry, V, rose, single, buttercup, carnation, cushion, and pea. The most common type is the classic single comb, which usually is the type of comb people think about when they think of a chicken comb.
Common Chicken Comb Problems
Healthy chicken combs have vibrant colors and are firm. Occasionally, chicken combs can be pale pink. If you notice that your chicken’s comb looks abnormal, it could indicate something is wrong. There are a few reasons why a chicken’s comb can be pale:
- Overheating – If your chickens are overheating, ensure they have shady areas and fresh, clean water. Check out our tips for keeping chickens cool in the summer.
- Molting – This is a normal process where chickens lose and re-grow their feathers. Once this process is complete, their combs should return to their usual color.
- Anemia – Fleas, lice, and mites are common causes of anemia in chickens. If this is the case, you should provide treatment and clean the chicken coop. Once the pests are gone, the comb color should return to its normal color.
- Internal worms – Combs that are pale pink can mean that a chicken has internal worms. If you suspect this is the case, check for watery or abnormal droppings, worms in eggs, reduced egg production, and more. Your chickens should be treated for worms immediately.
Everything You Need To Know About Chicken Combs
FAQ
What is the purpose of a chicken’s comb?
Temperature regulation: Since chickens can’t sweat, they rely on their combs to help cool down. The comb has a high concentration of blood vessels running through it, which helps dissipate body heat when the air temperature is cooler than the chicken’s body temperature (typically around 104°F).
Does a female chicken have a comb?
Newly adopted caged hens usually have large, pale and floppy combs which have acted as heat dissipaters whilst in a cage environment. It is common for combs to hang over one eye, and once a hen is allowed to free range her comb will slowly shrink and become vibrant red.
What is the chicken comb used for?
The comb actually helps a chicken stay cool. Unlike a human, a chicken can’t sweat. To cool off, its blood goes into the comb. Because the comb sticks up from the head, it stays cooler than the rest of the chicken’s body.
Will a chicken’s comb grow back?
Frostbite on chickens appears as black spots or areas on the tips of their comb or wattles. Depending on the severity of frostbite, the tissue will turn black. Meaning it’s dead, and it won’t grow back.