Comb turning black, diarrhea, etc.

[b2c2chicks]

Hello. I'm new to BYC, but I've been lurking for a while trying to find what direction in which to go. To begin with, I have 8 Ameracauna hens and an Ameracauna rooster. I hatched all from eggs, except 1 hen (the mother or aunt to the rest) therefore I know they don't have hatchery vaccinations (only medicated feed as chicks). Those are the original 9.

I purchased a few adults several weeks ago...7 buff Orpingtons, and 4 supposedly BCMs (that turned out to lay white eggs so thats another story, obviously not BCMs). They were quarantined for over 3 weeks. No obvious signs of disease. A few had what I considered to be molt/rode hard by roosters and put up wet. Everybody appeared healthy except for one buff. The first sign was red, puffy feet. I attributed it to scald because it seemed to improve. She is also molting worse than anyone else. Therefore I integrated the new in with the original 9. They all appear to be laying for the most part. Everybody did great together for a week.

Over the last 2 weeks, the Ameracaunas stopped laying. They look ruffled. They're 13 months old so I would think it's too early for molting but I could be wrong. Somebody laid a soft shelled egg. I've noticed diarrhea from several orps. Old mother hen squirted out a pale, yellowish frothy liquid once but I haven't noticed again. That was my first red flag. The others with the runs have dark yellow foamy runny poop. I thought either worms or coccidosis therefore I administered wazine and amprolium. It seemed to perk them all up. I also noticed old mother hen with rattling breaths one evening but it appears to have went away. I've checked for mites, lice, etc. nothing. Everyone else seems fine other than the Ameracaunas not even thinking about laying eggs!

So tonight I check on the buff orp with the issues. Her comb is turning dark purple/black beginning At the top. She still looks raggedy. She hasn't been grooming herself because she's got dirt all in her feathers. Her feet look better but the comb has worried me. I felt of her belly, which was missing all feathers, and it was warm, red, and puffy. That could be normal because my chickens don't usually let me touch them without a fight. She does not appear to be egg bound. When I held her I could hear what I would call a deep toned wheezing as she exhaled. I have also seen her twice be walking and then stop dead in her tracks crouching on the ground for a few minutes.

Am I overthinking this or should I be concerned? It could very well be stress. Does this sound like something serious? I don't want it to be something that wipes out the entire flock. The soft shell egg, the diarrhea, the breathing, and the black comb...

On the bright side, no swelling, sneezing, runny beaks, etc.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

More than likely you new adult birds brought in some diseases your original birds aren't immune to. Quarantine doesn't help with that. It will either run it's course of your birds will get worse. I personally never bring in adult birds only day olds or hatching eggs.

 

[b2c2chicks]

More than likely you new adult birds brought in some diseases your original birds aren't immune to. Quarantine doesn't help with that. It will either run it's course of your birds will get worse. I personally never bring in adult birds only day olds or hatching eggs.

Youre right. I have adopted this philosophy because of all this! It's not worth the worry!

 

[Nambroth]

Without seeing your chickens, my best guesses:
Your buff Orp with the black/purple comb sounds like she is having either heart or lung trouble. Typically we see combs turning purple/blueish when the chicken isn't getting enough oxygen or blood circulation is poor. The reasons are many; she could simply have a bad heart, or she could have cancerous tumors in her heart and/or lungs, or she could have swelling in her abdomen that is putting pressure on her heart and lungs (swelling from any of the following: Egg Peritonitis, acities, cancer, etc). It might be helpful to do a comparative anatomy palpation-- this is simply taking your sick hen and a similarly sized healthy hen and feeling their abdomens carefully to see what differences you note. Gentle squeezing, like what a doctor would do to feel your stomach. Take special note of any unusual firmness, or "fullness", etc. The frothy yellow poop from her (the same hen, if I understand your post?) is not, on its own, too worrisome, but combined with her other symptoms, I am suspicious that she may have a reproductive malady.

The Ameracaunas are not necessarily too young to do their first partial molt, which can have them looking raggedy, but the timing is rather suspect given the other health issues you are noticing.

Where did you purchase your new chickens from? (you don't have to be specific) If it was from an individual and they aren't even the breed they were advertised as, I would see that as a red flag. I definitely don't want to be judgemental, but sometimes people that don't pay much attention to the qualities of the breeds they have might also be less likely to notice disease in their flock.

 

[MINDANAO DAVE]

Marek's Disease is a if the rest start getting sick usually 5 to 7 days incubation time upto 15 days. I just lost 64 head of chickens out of 65. Good luck

 

[b2c2chicks]

Without seeing your chickens, my best guesses:
Your buff Orp with the black/purple comb sounds like she is having either heart or lung trouble. Typically we see combs turning purple/blueish when the chicken isn't getting enough oxygen or blood circulation is poor. The reasons are many; she could simply have a bad heart, or she could have cancerous tumors in her heart and/or lungs, or she could have swelling in her abdomen that is putting pressure on her heart and lungs (swelling from any of the following: Egg Peritonitis, acities, cancer, etc). It might be helpful to do a comparative anatomy palpation-- this is simply taking your sick hen and a similarly sized healthy hen and feeling their abdomens carefully to see what differences you note. Gentle squeezing, like what a doctor would do to feel your stomach. Take special note of any unusual firmness, or "fullness", etc. The frothy yellow poop from her (the same hen, if I understand your post?) is not, on its own, too worrisome, but combined with her other symptoms, I am suspicious that she may have a reproductive malady.

The Ameracaunas are not necessarily too young to do their first partial molt, which can have them looking raggedy, but the timing is rather suspect given the other health issues you are noticing.

Where did you purchase your new chickens from? (you don't have to be specific) If it was from an individual and they aren't even the breed they were advertised as, I would see that as a red flag. I definitely don't want to be judgemental, but sometimes people that don't pay much attention to the qualities of the breeds they have might also be less likely to notice disease in their flock.

I ended up comparing her underside to a healthy buff last night. It was hard to tell because her belly is bare and the healthy one had feathers. The sick one appears to be molting or have a serious case of mites/lice, however I cannot find visible evidence of parasites. Her belly felt soft and warm, maybe swollen but it couldve been fatty tissue....similar to the healthy one. It was not hard or distended. I know she has laid recently because I had 7 buff eggs the other day (1 for each hen), so I've ruled out egg peritonitis.

I purchased from an individual. I knew I was in trouble when the supposed "Black coppers" laid white eggs! Never again will I bring home unknown chickens. I am so mad at myself for putting myself and the original 9 through this!

I have noticed something strange about the buff that might be worth mentioning. It has me scared for Mareks. There's like little raised areas on her tail and around her vent. Looks like little fleshy cone shaped bumps raised up. Not many of them, but I've never noticed it before on any other hens. Could that be a part of molt?

 

[b2c2chicks]

Marek's Disease is a if the rest start getting sick usually 5 to 7 days incubation time upto 15 days. I just lost 64 head of chickens out of 65. Good luck

I am on guard for this because ive suspected it as well. From what i understand theres nothing that can be done other than try to boost their immune systems and pray it works.

 

[Nambroth]

Can you get a photograph of the cone structures you are seeing on her skin? Could they be pin feathers (new feathers) starting to poke through?
Do you know the ages of your new additions?

 

[b2c2chicks]

Can you get a photograph of the cone structures you are seeing on her skin? Could they be pin feathers (new feathers) starting to poke through?
Do you know the ages of your new additions?

Yes, I can this evening when I get home. Theyre supposed to be 11 and 13 months...but thats coming from the BCM white egg chicken dealer. It could possibly be pin feathers.

 

[b2c2chicks]

Update: I came home, checked my girls, the sick hen was inside of the coop by herself. The good news is her comb looks normal now, the purple is gone but that's not saying she doesn't have oxygenation issues for whatever reason. Her feet aren't as red but they're puffier than yesterday. Could this be gout?

Her underside was not swollen and puffy at all, it was more firm and sunken. I know she laid an egg today (I had 7 buff eggs). I took her to the waterer and she drank. Filled up their feeder and she was the first to jump on it like she was starving.

As for the others, I had 2 blue eggs, so hopefully the Ameracaunas have perked back up! All ate and drank like they're in tip top shape.

I was unable to get a picture of the sick hen's feathers because my phone died so I didn't take it to the coop with me. I do think they are probably pin feathers trying to break through after looking at another molter.

I did notice something funny. When everyone was crowding around the feeder, one girl jumped and the sick hen became scared and crouched down against the ground, frozen. Is this a stress response? She was fine after a minute. I'd like to hope every bit of this is stress instead of disease!