Sick Hen! Drooling with a Purple Comb

[TheFowlerFlock]

I need some help. This morning I went out to check on my chickens. My 1 year old Marans hen was still sitting in the coop on the roost and her comb was starting to turn dark red or purple. I also noticed that she was drooling from her mouth. Her nose was clean as were her eyes. We decided to get her out of the coop to isolate her from the others. When my husband picked her up she did not struggle or complain. We also noticed that she had what looked like egg yolk on her leg. As my husband was carrying her to the crate, white stuff started coming out of her vent. After all the white stuff came out then it started to look like egg white and maybe some yolk. Her breathing was labored for about 45 minutes and she continued to drool and then she passed away. She layed her last egg yesterday afternoon and all of this happened this morning. I would have thought that if it was an egg binding problem she would not have gotten sick so quick. I guess my question is has anyone seen anything like this before? Could it be contagious? Could it be parasites? Is it just an isolated incident? Any advice is appreciated. Thanks

 

[PD-Riverman]

I need some help. This morning I went out to check on my chickens. My 1 year old Marans hen was still sitting in the coop on the roost and her comb was starting to turn dark red or purple. I also noticed that she was drooling from her mouth. Her nose was clean as were her eyes. We decided to get her out of the coop to isolate her from the others. When my husband picked her up she did not struggle or complain. We also noticed that she had what looked like egg yolk on her leg. As my husband was carrying her to the crate, white stuff started coming out of her vent. After all the white stuff came out then it started to look like egg white and maybe some yolk. Her breathing was labored for about 45 minutes and she continued to drool and then she passed away. She layed her last egg yesterday afternoon and all of this happened this morning. I would have thought that if it was an egg binding problem she would not have gotten sick so quick. I guess my question is has anyone seen anything like this before? Could it be contagious? Could it be parasites? Is it just an isolated incident? Any advice is appreciated. Thanks

Heart failure sounds like, but without a necropsy---who knows. So Sorry.

 

[Eggcessive]

I need some help.  This morning I went out to check on my chickens.  My 1 year old Marans hen was still sitting in the coop on the roost and her comb was starting to turn dark red or purple.  I also noticed that she was drooling from her mouth.  Her nose was clean as were her eyes.  We decided to get her out of the coop to isolate her from the others.  When my husband picked her up she did not struggle or complain.  We also noticed that she had what looked like egg yolk on her leg.  As my husband was carrying her to the crate, white stuff started coming out of her vent.  After all the white stuff came out then it started to look like egg white and maybe some yolk.  Her breathing was labored for about 45 minutes and she continued to drool and then she passed away.  She layed her last egg yesterday afternoon and all of this happened this morning.  I would have thought that if it was an egg binding problem she would not have gotten sick so quick.  I guess my question is has anyone seen anything like this before?  Could it be contagious?  Could it be parasites?   Is it just an isolated incident?  Any advice is appreciated.  Thanks

Welcome to BYC. It sounds like she was an internal layer. They can develop masses of egg material inside the abdomen instead of floating them down the oviduct. Infection can set in, and even liver failure. It sounds like she progressed pretty quickly. There could have been some overwhelming additional problems that took her so suddenly. It is a shock to lose her suddenly, but it is good that she is not suffering as aome will do. It is not contagious, but can be very common in backyard flocks. Sorry for your loss.

 

[TheFowlerFlock]

Does internal laying start all of a sudden? She had never had any problems before.

 

[Eggcessive]

Not usually, but as I said, there may be other circumstances that caused her to die so suddenly. Hens are stoic and can hide their illness until it gets serious. She may have had some signs that weren't noticeable.

 

[micstrachan]

Yes, I agree. Egg yolk pwritonitis from internal laying. So sorry for your loss. Good job trying to save her.