Dark/shriveling comb on chicken

[Shezadandy]

Check for lice & mites as well. If she has an infestation a darkening, shriveling comb will be one symptom.

Excellent suggestion.

 

[micstrachan]

I hope now that two of us have suggested you check for abdominal fluid, you are compelled to do so. Cup your hand around her fluffy part below vent and between legs and compare to other hens, as had been suggested. How is her body language?

 

[A-gaspar13]

When a comb turns that color the first inclination is she's not getting enough oxygen. It COULD be that the slow crop was the first indication of another problem, especially as you're back a couple weeks later with another issue. Check another couple of hens' abdomens, down right between the legs, then compare what you feel on the chicken with the dark comb in the same area.

If something isn't working right, they start to gather fluid in the abdomen, which in turn compresses their lungs, and makes it harder for all the normal systems to work. Often it ends up being some stage of egg yolk peritonitis causing all the symptoms.

If she does have fluid in her abdomen, you can relieve it by draining her with a 14 or 16 gauge needle (found in the cattle section in farm stores), which will bring her comb back to a nice rosy red. From then it's a management issue.

Thank you!! I dont think I was checking the right place but will definitely check after work today. This was really helpful !

 

[A-gaspar13]

I hope now that two of us have suggested you check for abdominal fluid, you are compelled to do so. Cup your hand around her fluffy part below vent and between legs and compare to other hens, as had been suggested. How is her body language?

Oh I’m definitely planning on it. She’s been lethargic for the most part but always perks up when I bring her treats

 

[Eggcessive]

Is she a heavy or overweight pullet? Is he crop empty each morning when you check it? Have you had any unexplained deaths in your flock before? Have you had any respiratory issues before? The dark comb may be from heart disease, or from a breathing problem.

Is there a regular vet in your area where you could take her in, or have them do a fecal test on some fresh droppings, to look for worms, coccidiosis, or enteritis. If so, ask for a fecal float and a gram stain on poop. Take a few fresh samples in a ziplock bag. It helps if the vet is familiar with chickens.

There can be so many possible reasons for illness in a chicken. Hopefully, you can help her. Make sure that your coop has good overhead ventilation, and no mold or a lot of dust. If you should lose her, you can get a necropsy performed by your state vet if you keep the body cool, but not frozen. What state are you in?

 

[A-gaspar13]

I am going to try to find a vet that can do the fecal tests and no resp. Issues in the past, the crop is emptying by morning and no sudden deaths. I’m in Colorado

 

[micstrachan]

Hello,
I’m sorry to keep harping on this, but I think it’s important for you to know if she has ascites, which is fluid in the abdominal area. It can be caused by a number of different things like liver problems, heart problems, infection, cancers, etc. Accompanied by a comb that is turning blue could be quite significant.

The abdomen is the “fluffy butt” area. Have you palpated here yet? Is she a Brahma and if so, do you have another you can compare her to?

I had a large combed bird who was turning blue at the back of her comb and then seemed to have an oviduct infection. I treated her with antibiotics and anti-inflammatories and she recovered for a year. (She later died of an acute septic infection of unknown origin.)

However, that much blue in a small combed bird is concerning to me for lack of oxygen.

 

[A-gaspar13]

Hello,
I’m sorry to keep harping on this, but I think it’s important for you to know if she has ascites, which is fluid in the abdominal area. It can be caused by a number of different things like liver problems, heart problems, infection, cancers, etc. Accompanied by a comb that is turning blue could be quite significant.

The abdomen is the “fluffy butt” area. Have you palpated here yet? Is she a Brahma and if so, do you have another you can compare her to?

I had a large combed bird who was turning blue at the back of her comb and then seemed to have an oviduct infection. I treated her with antibiotics and anti-inflammatories and she recovered for a year. (She later died of an acute septic infection of unknown origin.)

However, that much blue in a small combed bird is concerning to me for lack of oxygen.

I did try feeling it but didnt feel anything that was different from any of the other chickens. Im still searching for a vet that can do a fecal. Do you think it could be worms?

 

[Shezadandy]

Below is a video on draining ascities if she indeed has it. I've had a couple versions of it - one hen- who was suffering from what I'm 90% sure were heart issues - had almost like what were almost like pontoons - when she'd start to walk a little like John Wayne (because she couldn't get her legs any closer together, it was like one of those floaties in a pool). It was a different spot to get a good drain for her. The comb would come back from the darker tones to normal - the other sign was she'd do short periods of open mouth breathing without exertion. Others have more of a bag lower down, hard to explain.

Comparison to other hens is helpful.

Needle wise, nothing smaller than a 16 gauge though (18, 20, 22 are all SMALLER holes)--- a 1" long, 14 or 16 gauge needle will make a big enough hole to let the fluid drain, with only ONE poke. I've seen some where people go at it with a tiny needle with a tiny syringe and the poor hen is a pin cushion with no real relief.

Even if this hen doesn't have ascities/waterbelly, that is a good tool to have in your first aid kit.

Here's the video. Personally, I just use the needle all by itself now if I'm going to drain a hen like she does later in the video. Then pulling too much off too fast is less of a concern as gravity is doing the work, not the plunger on a syringe. You can drain into a big cup or bowl instead if you want to see what comes out.

 

[Shezadandy]

I did try feeling it but didnt feel anything that was different from any of the other chickens. Im still searching for a vet that can do a fecal. Do you think it could be worms?

That's good news! Have you looked her over really close in the vent/top of the tail area and under the wings to make sure she doesn't have either mites or lice sucking her dry?

https://the-chicken-chick.com/poultry-lice-and-mites-identification/