Chicken's head turned yellow and died the next day

[chadwhite]

I have 5 hens. One of the hens (bardrock) head turned real yellow and was acting funny. She would not roost for 2 nights. She stopped eating and then I found her dead this morning. The other 4 hens are also acting funny. They are all piled on one another tonight in one of the egg boxes. They never do this. And they never sleep in the egg boxes. They are also not eating very well and are lethargic. Any ideas as to what is going on?

 

[RhodeIslandRed5]

Can you check the skin of your chickens and see if it is possibly turning yellow as well? And perhaps a close-up of their eyes.

 

[RhodeIslandRed5]

How old are your hens, and what are you feeding them?

 

[chadwhite]

Hens are about 5 years old. I Lost another one today. They have all stopped drinking water or eating. Now they are so weak they cannot get up in their roost. I fear the 3 I still have will not last another day. I have been trying to give them some Kale, which they ate a very small amount today along with some cantaloupe. They won't touch their scratch or crumble that they normally eat.

 

[chadwhite]

 

[Eggcessive]

Sorry for your loss. Is there a possibility of a toxin such as mold in the feed, a poisonous plant, leaking automotive fluids, fertilizer, or weed killer? If you have the latest body, and can keep it refrigerated, not frozen, you can send it in to your state vet for a necropsy. Here is a link where to contact yours:
https://www.metzerfarms.com/PoultryLabs.cfm

 

[micstrachan]

@Eggcessive, could these be a bad case of anemia, and if so, what could cause it to hit the whole flock?

@chadwhite, can you offer some meat or raw liver and see if they’ll take it? Just in case? I’m wondering if they are iron deficient.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Could it be kidney or liver failure?

 

[DallasLoneStar]

Yellow skin and eyes occurs in humans when there is liver failure. Perhaps something to look into. Sorry for your loss.

 

[AmyJane725]

If they seem to be avoiding their roost I'd think it might be some sort of parasite that is biting them at night when they go to roost. Red poultry mites maybe? The "yellow" combs could just be paleness from lack of blood.