Hen was sick and now her comb is deflated and pink!

[DoloresRun]

Hi All

My Barnevelder was sick for a few days (she had worms). I treated the worms and she seems back in good form but she's not laying and now her comb is really small and looks pink not red like the other two!

Is this normal? When do you think she might begin laying again? She I be doing something to encourage her to lay? I have been giving my girls extra protein in the form of cat food and they also get treats and they free range.

Any help would be great

 

[Happy Chooks]

Her body may be stressed, and going into a molt. My hens combs always get pale when they are molting.

How long ago did you treat her for worms? What did you treat her with?

 

[WoodlandWoman]

It's normal for a hen's comb to be pink, instead of red, when she isn't laying. This is usually due to seasonal changes like going broody, molting or days with a shorter day length in winter. Pullets are usually less effected by these things, but after they're a year old, you may start seeing these seasonal changes. When they start laying again, their comb turns red again.

A really sick chicken may stop laying, too. In your case, she may start laying again soon or she may wait to start laying in the spring, as the days get longer and trigger laying. How old is she and how many hours of light is she getting?

 

[DoloresRun]

Thanks for the replies

I live in Australia so it is currently summer here! It's not hot at all so I don't think it is heat related. I doubt she will be molting unless stress would induce that.

I would think that it was the worms that caused the problem. I didn't notice them until she had pooped one time and I could see them. I can't remember the name of the product I used, it was a one day treatment that I put in their water. I treated the entire flock just to make sure no one else had them. Her poops are back to normal now and she is eating and drinking as normal. I have noticed an increase in activity so maybe she is back on the mend. She is my smallest of the three Barnevelders so I suppose that any stress is bad stress for her.

The past two days I have been getting four eggs from my five chickens (while she was sick I only got three a day) so maybe she is laying and I just don't know it because they all look the same to me

Anyway I will keep an eye out on her to see what she does. She is the sweetest of the bunch so I would hate to see anything bad happen to her!

Thanks again for the replies