Our first chicken just went to the coop in the sky...

[HeatherA]

We just lost the first chicken we ever bought and are very sad since she was extra special (she'd cluck and follow me around while I gardened). Her name was Glinda and she'd been struggling the past week. Her comb drooped and turned blue and she had diarrhea. We gave her antibiotics that the feed store suggested and kept her in a cage inside during the night in hopes that she would get well. After reading some information on BYC, I realized that she probably wasn't going to make it because someone wrote that a blue comb is a really bad sign.

A week before she showed signs of illness, my husband and I were sick with the stomach flu (she was still laying eggs and we were eating them). Is it possible to get sick from a chicken or could we have given something to her? Has anyone else experienced this? Should we bury her right away? The other chickens are still healthy so that's a good thing!

Sorry for the downer post but thought I'd ask.

Thanks in advance for any information.
Heather

 

[Jster]

So sorry about the loss of your friend! I've had chickens two and a half years now, and every loss is hard, not just the first (but that's the one memorialized in my sig tag). All our losses have come from predators and accidents, not illness, though they are all hard. I'm sure you did everything you could for her, that she knew your love, and that she was a wonderful girl.

I think there are very few things that can be transmitted from poultry to people. I haven't had that come up yet...hopefully someone has more information. I have had some of my chickens get blue combs before (just on the tips, not all of the combs) and they came back, but I never really found out what it was from and they didn't have other symptoms.

Peace,
Jennifer

 

[HeatherA]

Thanks Jennifer! She was a wonderful girl...I never thought I could get so attached to a chicken but that's what's so amazing about chickens...there's always a new surprise. What did you do when your chickens had the blue combs? Did they recover from it on their own or did you do something special?

Cheers!
Heather

 

[geebs]

Blue comb is no circulation.. all the blood staying in the center of the body... I have had chickens whose comb turns blue and some ACV and they are up and running again... Put that in your cap for next time... Parasites can really make a mess... If it wasn't an infection the antibiotics were contraindicated... and may well have added to the already stressed body.. Alway assum they need wormed... ACV works great and is not that invasive... It also have minerals and such that are very helpful and the acidity changes the flora in the gut... Lots of good... about a Tablespoon or two for a gallon of water.. I have chickens that are twelve years old... They can live a long time...