A chicken comb is a unique fleshy red growth on top of a chicken’s head. This feature helps chickens keep their bodies at the right temperature, find mates, and let others know they’re healthy.
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, their combs and wattles help them get rid of extra body heat. There are blood vessels in the comb that let hot blood flow close to the surface and let off 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 also have combs, which roosters use to figure out if they are healthy enough to have babies.
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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—Chickens may be able to tell who is in their flock by the shape and size of their combs.
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 single comb, which is what most people think of when they hear the word “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 getting too hot, make sure they have cool places to stay and clean water. Read our tips on how to keep chickens cool this summer.
- This is a normal process for chickens where they lose and grow back their feathers. After this is done, their combs should be back to the color they were before.
- Anemia—Chickens often get anemia from fleas, lice, and mites. If this is the case, you should treat the chickens and clean the coop. If the bugs are gone, the comb color should go back to how it was before.
- Internal worms: If a chicken’s comb is pale pink, it may have internal worms. If you think this is the case, look for droppings that are wet or don’t look right, worms in the eggs, less egg production, and other signs. 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. There are a lot of blood vessels running through the comb, which helps the chicken lose body heat when the air is cooler than its own temperature, which is usually 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. Sometimes combs hang over one eye. If you let a hen roam free, her comb will slowly get smaller and turn bright 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.