Chickens (chooks) and their combs

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I am always intrigued by the differences in the animal world. I’m sure you all know that chooks (chickens) have combs. This fleshy growth on the top of the head helps cool the bird down as blood circulates through it. Being so close to the surface, the blood is cooled before circulating back into the body. Single, upright combs sometimes get frost-bitten in winter. Combs vary from red to purple in colour depending on the breed. Combs that are much lighter or darker than usual, or that are shrivelled, may indicate ill-health. • The single comb is most common. It is moderately thin and will have a number of points with the middle points being longer than the others. Dorkings and Australorps have single combs. • The rose comb is low, fleshy and nearly flat on top. There are small rounded protuberances on the surface and a tapering spike at the back. The Wyandotte has a rose comb. • The pea comb is low with three ridges which run lengthwise. Brahmas and Cornish chickens have pea combs. • The V-shaped comb is seen in chickens of the Houdan or Polish breeds. It has two sections which are horn-like and well-defined. • The strawberry comb eg Malay chicken, is low, compact and resembles half a strawberry. • The walnut comb, eg Silkie, is rather lumpy and covered with small corrugations, just like a walnut shell is. • The cushion comb is small and compact without any depressions or spikes. The Canadian breed, the Chantecler, has a cushion comb. • The Sicilian Buttercup chicken has a buttercup comb. A single blade leads from the base of the beak back to a cup-shaped crown. This has evenly spaced points and the circle should be closed at the back. For exhibition chickens, the type, size and texture of the comb is very important. For the backyard chicken, it is not important at all. From left to right top, the photo shows a single, buttercup and rose comb. Left to right bottom a V-shaped and walnut comb. Photo acknowledgements: Single: Judy Evans Buttercup: Emma Jane Hogbin from Owen Sound, Canada [CC BY 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons Rose: Ospr3yy at en.wikipedia [FAL], via Wikimedia Commons V-shaped: Tim Sackton from Somerville, MA [CC BY-SA 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons Walnut: Nico 5 M. [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], from Wikimedia Commons