Purple Comb, Hen Not Doing Well

[azygous]

Yes, Save a Chick electrolytes should work. Add extra sugar to it. The progressively darker comb may be indication of organ failure. If your patient holds steady and doesn't get worse, there's still room to hope. But if she continues to get worse each day, you had best resign yourself to losing her.

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

Put your ear up to her side and listen for a "clicking" sound. If you hear it, it's a heart valve problem. Hopefully that's not the problem.

I did this. I'm not sure what you mean by a "clicking" sound, so I listened to a couple of my other hens' hearts. The others weren't as loud or as fast as her's. Now I don't know if they were different because I was holding Amber when I listened to her heart but I wasn't holding the other two hens when I listened to their's. Her heart did sound quieter when I listened again after listening to the others.

Yes, Save a Chick electrolytes should work. Add extra sugar to it. The progressively darker comb may be indication of organ failure. If your patient holds steady and doesn't get worse, there's still room to hope. But if she continues to get worse each day, you had best resign yourself to losing her.

I gave her some and she's willingly drinking it. Here's a picture of her when I first brought her inside this morning:

Her color has returned since she's been drinking that stuff. As of right now, she's standing by the bowl of the water mix gasping, which the gasping is new from I've seen on her.

 

[Eggcessive]

Does she have any signs of ascites (water belly?) Is her lower belly bluish or enlarged?

 

[azygous]

The electrolytes can help improve heart function if the chicken was low on electrolytes. Thus an improvement in comb color. So keep that up. She should have one teaspoon sugar in one cup electrolyte fluid.

Check her crop. Is it swollen and mushy and heavy? Even without eating anything? Or is she flat and empty? I'm hoping she's just weak from hard molt. Some chickens severely lose appetite during molt and their health can take a serious dive.

When she becomes a little stronger, give her some boiled rice with a raw egg mixed into it. In my flock, that tempts event a very sick hen to try to eat.

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

Does she have any signs of ascites (water belly?) Is her lower belly bluish or enlarged?

I don't think so.

The electrolytes can help improve heart function if the chicken was low on electrolytes. Thus an improvement in comb color. So keep that up. She should have one teaspoon sugar in one cup electrolyte fluid.

Check her crop. Is it swollen and mushy and heavy? Even without eating anything? Or is she flat and empty? I'm hoping she's just weak from hard molt. Some chickens severely lose appetite during molt and their health can take a serious dive.

When she becomes a little stronger, give her some boiled rice with a raw egg mixed into it. In my flock, that tempts event a very sick hen to try to eat.

Her crop flat an empty last I felt it. When I returned her to the coop, she went to her feeder and began eating.

I'll try that.

I checked on her a few minutes ago and she was still gasping. She started gasping after drinking the electrolytes and sugar water. Her color still looks good though.

 

[azygous]

By gasping do you mean she's holding her beak open or is she having trouble breathing? If she's holding her beak open, it means she's feeling stressed. If it's a breathing issue, you will hear her make noise as she tried to suck in adequate air. (Wheezing or clicking)

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

By gasping do you mean she's holding her beak open or is she having trouble breathing? If she's holding her beak open, it means she's feeling stressed. If it's a breathing issue, you will hear her make noise as she tried to suck in adequate air. (Wheezing or clicking)

She suddenly opens her beak open wide then slowly closes it over and over like she's having trouble breathing. She's still doing it, though not as obvious as earlier.

 

[-Chanticleer-]

She suddenly opens her beak open wide then slowly closes it over and over like she's having trouble breathing. She's still doing it, though not as obvious as earlier.

Does it look something like this?

If so it might be a respiratory infection.

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

Does it look something like this?

If so it might be a respiratory infection.

Something like that, but not as bad. She barely lifts her head when she does it. Her gasping started after drinking the electrolytes and sugar water mix this morning. It has improved as the day has gone on.

 

[azygous]

Gasping means an abrupt intake of air. You can hear it. Place your ear next to her head as she opens and closes her beak. Do you hear a sudden intake of breath? This is very important. Stress gaping is not of any concern. Gasping due to a pulmonary issue is important. Another type of beak gaping is when a chicken extends the neck when gaping due to discomfort from a crop issue. This needs to be investigated and treated.

The chicken in the above video may be gaping due to discomfort from a crop issue.