I imagine watching a chicken’s comb and wattle grow is kind of like watching grass grow. But I’m determined to pay attention to the development of both on Kitty and Anne.
You can see in the photo of Kitty above that the skin around and behind her eye as well as, above and to the side of her beak is turning red. Anne’s is doing the same, although hers isn’t as dark. When they’re full-grown her comb and wattle will look like White Hens.
The comb is what looks like a ruffle above the hen’s beak. The wattle is below. Both help to keep the blood flowing around the hen’s head and to cool them off in the heat.
A red comb is also an indication of a healthy hen.
I’m also interested to see if I’ll be able to tell the chicks apart when they grow up by the differences in their combs and wattles.
Right now Kitty is still bigger than Anne. And Anne has two big dark feathers on her sides while Kitty has only one that is thinner.
I’m also wondering if the chick’s eyes will change from the green they are now to the same orange as White Hen’s eyes.
