Hen is turning yellow! PLS help!!!

[SymanSaysFarms]

We're looking for some help from our chicken friends. We have a sick girl on the farm this morning. She's been slowly turning yellow (comb, wattles and skin) for some time now. We've checked her for mites/lice, she's been wormed recently, she's not coughing or sneezing and none of the other girls are showing similar symptoms. This morning I went to check on the girls and she was looking REALLY bad. I brought her inside to warm up as it will be down in the single digits for a few days and she just can't handle that. I've given her electrolytes in her water, warm oatmeal and her regular food. She seems to have perked up since bringing her in. She's eating, drinking and pooping but I don't know what else to do for her and her yellow-ing. Has anyone out there had a chicken turn yellow before? I'm thinking it would be her liver failing her? What else could be causing this? Is there something I can give her to save her? Any help would be greatly appreciated!! Thank you!

 

[SymanSaysFarms]

Anyone??? Please help

 

[casportpony]

Anyone??? Please help

I'm on an IPod now, so I don't have access to my normal stuff... When I get on the computer I'll see if I can find some info for you. BYC's cowcreekgeek is really good at finding info, so send him (I think, lol) a PM. In the meantime, keep her inside and get a baseline weight on her. I use a cheap digital scale from Target to weigh mine.

 

[SymanSaysFarms]

Thank you so much casportpony! She is inside and seems to have perked up a bit. She ate some oatmeal and her regular food. She's even talking to me. I'm gonna scramble some eggs and feed them to up her protein. Someone on FB suggested giving her some Tylan antibiotics. I've never given a chicken antibiotics and don't know if she actually needs it.

 

[casportpony]

Thank you so much casportpony! She is inside and seems to have perked up a bit. She ate some oatmeal and her regular food. She's even talking to me. I'm gonna scramble some eggs and feed them to up her protein. Someone on FB suggested giving her some Tylan antibiotics. I've never given a chicken antibiotics and don't know if she actually needs it. 

Warmth and water are most important, but if she's eating, that's a great sign! You should dust her for mites/lice even if you can't see the. Use something other than DE.

 

[SymanSaysFarms]

I have seven dust... would that work?

 

[BantamWhisperer]

Mine turn yellow all the time. Mine do it when theyre bored! Sounds weird, but I'm not kidding! If I do something exciting like throw seed or treats down thu immediately turn red again! Just keep an eye on her and make sure she doesn't show and weakness!

Good luck!

 

[casportpony]

I have seven dust... would that work?

Some people use it, I use the poultry dust from TSC.

 

[JerseyGiantfolk]

Have you been feeding her any high carb foods recently? Combs changing color could mean one of her organ systems may not be working right. Does she have diarrhea?

In hens, pigment change is common when going in and out of lay. My Leghorns turn yellow all over when they are out or going out of lay, and brighten up when they are in lay.

 

[SymanSaysFarms]

No, we've been feeding our girls the same food their whole lives. No, she doesn't have diarrhea. They only get cracked corn and BOSS treats once or twice a week depending on the weather. Someone else suggested it may just be because she has stopped laying. I've never heard of that happening (learn something new every day) That would make sense since I haven't seen her lay an egg since coming out of molt back in late November/early December BUT, she's been lathargic lately and her skin is yellow too. Don't know if it's common for her skin to be yellow and still be just an egg laying issue. I'll be dusting her tonight and the rest of the coop when it gets warmer. For now, she found the roost in her hospital box and seems back to her "normal" self (at least her last couple weeks normal self) She's still yellow, but now as bad as this morning.