My chickens wattles and combs look pale what does this mean?

Pale wattles could either mean that you have a young chicken, with small, undeveloped comb and wattles or it could be that they are anaemic due to a parasite infestation of lice, mites, or worms. Check for Lice and Mites by parting the fluff around the vent area to see if you can spot any little critters crawling around on your chicken.

Northern Fowl mites are black and about 1mm in length, and Lice are slightly larger – 1-3mm, brown and fast moving.  Also check the cracks and crevices of their housing for any sign of Red Mites.  You can also check eggs for any tiny blood spots which could also be a sign of Red Mite infestation.

Lastly, perform a faecal worm egg count to see if your chickens are being affected by a worm burden.  If it appears that they have worms treat with a licensed wormer such as Flubenvet and add Nettex Herbal Gut Conditioner to their water to help support a healthy gut flora post treatment. If the problem continues to occur, speak to your vet as there could be an underlying health issue present.