One of the most recognizable parts of a chicken is its comb. Most people know that the comb is the (usually) red fleshy part at the top of a chicken’s head. Not all combs are the same, though. The American Poultry Association lists 9 different types of combs in their American Standard of Perfection.

ROSE COMB

We have only had one chicken with the low lying, lumpy, bumpy, rose comb. The back of this comb always tapers into a spike & varies slightly with different breeds.

A few breeds have a rose comb including:
Dominiques
Hamburgs
Wyandottes

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One of the most recognizable parts of a chicken is its comb. Most people know that the comb is the (usually) red fleshy part at the top of a chicken’s head. Not all combs are the same, though. The American Poultry Association lists 9 different types of combs in their American Standard of Perfection.

PEA COMB

Our Ameraucanas/Easter Eggers have pea combs. The pea comb is a low comb with 3 ridges. It is often associated with the blue egg gene.

Many breeds have a pea comb including:
Ameraucana
Araucana
Brahama
Buckeye
Cornish
Sumatra

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One of the most recognizable parts of a chicken is its comb. Most people know that the comb is the (usually) red fleshy part at the top of a chicken’s head. Not all combs are the same, though. The American Poultry Association lists 9 different types of combs in their American Standard of Perfection.

SINGLE COMB

The single comb is probably the most recognizable, in part thanks to Foghorn Leghorn. It is, as the name implies, a single formation, with multiple points. It should be fairly thin & begin at the beak. This comb should be larger on males than females. A large, bright comb may attract a potential mate.  On females, if it gets too large it may flop over.

Many breeds have a single comb including:
Andalusian
Australorp
Cochin
Delaware
Faverolles
Holland
Jersey Giant
Leghorn
Marans
New Hampshire
Orpington
Phoenix
Plymouth Rock
Rhode Island Red
Sussex
Welsummer

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Like many birds (including chickens), turkeys have a third eyelid called a nictitating membrane. This eyelid is used to moisten the eye & clear out debris.

We generally see the 2 eyelids that move up & down to meet in the middle.

However, turkeys also have a third eyelid. It is nearly transparent, but can be seen. In this turkey pic the nictitating membrane is almost half way across the eye.

In the photo on the left, the nictitating membrane is fully across this eye, making it appear hazy. It’s always such a bummer when I get a great turkey or chicken pic, but the eyes are hazy. They’re slightly creepy looking. Totally normal, but still weird.

The photo on the right is the same turkey as the left photo, but I snapped the pic just a second later. The third eyelid is not visible. And, not quite so creepy.

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Before we raised turkeys, I didn’t know they had caruncles. I also didn’t know caruncle was even a word. I’ve since learned that the bumpy non-feathery skin on their face & neck is known as their caruncles. Technically the wattle is also a caruncle.

The coolest thing about their caruncles is that they change color. Typically they are a peachy color. As the turkey’s mood changes, so does his caruncle.

The larger caruncles on a tom’s neck are the major caruncles. Hens do not have these, although they do have small caruncles.

Caruncles, one of the interesting things about a turkey.

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