Betty White has a pale, floppy comb

[Tumbleweedlynn]

Hi guys - question. My girl, Betty White, is one of three Blue Plymouths I have that are 7 months old. I just noticed today that she was staying by herself while in the yard, and her comb is floppy and pale. Everyone else (13) look good. The coop and laying boxes are clean, and the run gets cleaned a couple times a week, at the least.

Any suggestions to turn this around, or is it normal? Thanks! The pictures are of her sisters and then her.

 

[Tumbleweedlynn]

You will. At one time I was a new chicken keeper and knew as good as nothing about chickens. Being the charming and fascinating creatures they are, I wanted to know as much as I could about chickens. I had a lot of terrific help from people on this web site, some of whom have left us and this world. I'm getting into that age category where I will be leaving you all at some point, and you will take over helping others with what you've learned.

Well, I don’t even know you personally, but that prospect made me emotional. I’m looking forward, as time goes by, that I get to know you better. Not just when one of my chickens are sick. I am a grandma and getting older, as well, but you will be my inspiration moving forward on this site, on how to help others.

Have a good evening and thank you so much again

 

[Tumbleweedlynn]

@azygous Thank you for all of your help with Betty. We continued with the Aqua Mox, calcium, and soft food and fluids. My husband unexplainably took over care for her, but opted not to tube feed. He thought he was making headway with her, but Ms. White passed this afternoon. I do believe she was so far gone, but man, she was a fighter.

I appreciate all of your help, now and always

 

[azygous]

Little Betty White appears to be lagging the other two of her sisters in the race to point of lay. To confirm this, examine all three of them for distance between pelvic knobs.

Hold each on your lap facing you. Find the two hard knobs on each side of the vent. Try placing two finger in between them. My guess is Betty White's knobs are still closer together than two finger widths while her two sisters have room for two fingers. If those other pullets aren't laying yet, they will be very soon.

I notice Betty White's tail is held low. This can be a sign she isn't feeling well. What does her poop look like? Is she eating and drinking? There could be something pathological going on or she may be internally laying. She needs watching.

 

[azygous]

If you suspect Betty White is laying, it would be safest to give her a calcium tablet. She could be having an egg binding problem. Calcium will not harm her either way.

Poop in addition to lethargic behavior gives us important information. If you need to, stick her in a pet crate for tonight so you can observe her more closely.

It will also be convenient to have her in a crate so you can do a crop check in the morning to see if it's emptying overnight. If her crop is full come morning, it may be another indication of egg binding.

This is the calcium I recommend, but a Tums will do in a pinch until you can get the proper stuff.

 

[Tumbleweedlynn]

Why, thank you much! She already was in the little isolation coop when I went to check on her - I was half expecting to find her on the ground in her little run, but she atleast got herself inside.

I didn’t want to stress her out by getting her out (it was already dark), but my husband will check her crop before she eats, and will give her the calcium tablet, too. I have the same as yours. I’ll also measure the pubic bone, and come back here with the results. Thank you so much

 

[azygous]

It's time to put our sweet Betty White on an oral antibiotic. Do you have any on hand? Amoxicillin would be ideal.

 

[Tumbleweedlynn]

Perfect!!! Use the aqua-mox. I find it works lots better than penicillin. The dose is 250mg per day for ten days total. You should notice a significant improvement in Betty White in 48 hours.

The poop indicates a possible reproductive tract infection.

But I need to warn you that it could be a cancer tumor. If there is no improvement after ten days on the antibiotic, then we may assume it's something untreatable like a cancer tumor.

Whoops, I think we posted replies at the same time, but thank you so much. I will go with this, and after 10 days reassess. Although I love these girls very much, I am also prepared for the other outcomes.

You are a gem - I hope I can help someone one day with your grace

 

[azygous]

You will. At one time I was a new chicken keeper and knew as good as nothing about chickens. Being the charming and fascinating creatures they are, I wanted to know as much as I could about chickens. I had a lot of terrific help from people on this web site, some of whom have left us and this world. I'm getting into that age category where I will be leaving you all at some point, and you will take over helping others with what you've learned.

 

[azygous]

Look at the throat of this photo of a chicken. The espphagus is on the chicken's right side. Insert the tube on the right side, slide it along the inside of the mouth, going slightly under the tongue. This will guide the tube right into the esophagus. Keep going until the tube is neat the lower one-third of the crop. You can hold the tube up to the outside of the chicken's throat and crop and measure, then make a mark on the tube where it will end at the beak.

Warm the liquid food so it's comfortable. Don't feed more than half a cup at a time. The food should all be liquid. Solids will not go through the tube. I use raw egg, yogurt or keifer, water, strained baby foods or baby bird formula you can buy at a pet store. You can squirt vitamins into the mix, and the antibiotic, too, to save time and effort. Go slowly.

If the tube hits the airway, she will cough. Back it out and try again. There will be no coughing or choking if the tube is placed correctly.

I wrap the chicken in a towel and hold her with my weak arm and use my good hand to tube. If she struggles, stop and let her settle back down and then resume.