lethargic, not drinking, barely eating, comb purplish and floppy

[LilBizzy]

I have a broody and for the past 4 days have been removing her from the nest each night (thats a whole other story,though LOL)
2 nights ago, I noticed a hen lying in the corner of the coop, under the roosts. I thought at first maybe she was going broody also.
She left the coop in the morning, so I didn't worry, but then I came home from work and found her back in the corner, and started to worry. This morning I tried to bribe her with watermelon, but she wasn't interested.
I crawled in the coop, and got her. Her comb is flopped over and a purplish color. Her vent was all poopy, so I brought her in and soaked her in the sink. While soaking, she ate a few bites of watermelon.
I put her outside with some yogurt which she did eat a little of. She stood there, pretty much in one spot. Eventually she took a few steps, and was digging thru the dirt( but not scratching, she was digging with her beak). I tried to get her to drink, but she wouldn't.
She squirted out a poop- I heard it. It was partly runny but also had a whitish normal looking part also.
I see and feel nothing unusual. Her belly feels like any other chicken belly. Her vent, once I got the poop off seems fine- maybe a tiny bit swollen, but I honestly never really examined a vent that closely. I don't think she's laid an egg in the past few days.
When I left for work, I went to pick her up and give her another look, and she tried to run from me. hen I got her, she fussed a little, which I took as a good sign.
I came home from work and found her lying next to the coop. She fussed at me a little I looked her over again, no poopybutt, no hard feeling in her belly.- I put her in the coop, and she went to her corner and laid down.
I looked up eggbound on here, and she just doesnt seem to have the stance tha eggbound girls have. Her tail is not droopy at all. Shes just.. very quiet, mellow, and not drinking or eating normal. and that purplish comb...
Any ideas?
Oh, she eats layer feed, and there is oyster shell available. And treats every so often

 

[Renee]

She could have eaten something bad. It could be botulism, or a fungal infection. My chicken got botulism from the compost pile, where I had thrown scum from the pond to compost. Chickens are also good at finding Snairol, rat poison, poisonous mushrooms, or anything else that a normal two year old child finds delicious.

If you can keep her hydrated, she may get over it. You can give her 50/50 water and pedialyte to help, and dip her beak in the water to get her to drink. If she won't drink, you can syringe water into her crop, but you must get it past the air opening in her mouth or she will aspirate the liquid. You can also give her Poly-Vi-Sol liquid baby vitamins (no iron) three drops a day on the beak for a week. It won't hurt her, and who knows, it may help.

If you do not suspect worms, lice, or mites, and her crop looks right, and you said she does not seem eggbound, then it's tough to say. She could also just have a failing liver or heart.

Good luck with her.

 

[LilBizzy]

Thanks, Renee- I did give her some watered down gatorade, and I did put polyvisol in the yogurt I gave her. She didnt come out of the coop this morning. I just got back from TSC with fresh bedding, and I'm gonna give the coop a good cleaning. Now that I am home for 3 days, I can take the time to make sure she is hydrated.

Wouldn't the purplish comb indicate a blood flow problem?

 

[chickbliss7]

I have a Buff Orpington that has developed a purplish floppy comb. Also it looks like a small chunk was taken out, but no blood. Could your girl be picked on, specifically her comb? Possibly the others picked on her because she's not well at the moment. I might isolate her so she has free access to water and feed and you can give her medication. And, of course, they can't pick on her either.