Please Help: Odd Symptoms

[Pony Trotsky]

Hello.


One of my pullets has looked decidedly "off" since early this morning, but I can't find a description of these symptoms anywhere.

~ She alternates between acting almost normal for a few minutes, and then standing still in a kind of puffed-up position. She doesn't have her usual busy and bustling look, and seems to feel uncomfortable.

~ Her face, comb and wattles are darker and more purple-ish than normal. (She's always been redder in the face than the others, but this is unusual.)

~ Her legs are paler than normal, with pinkish/purple-ish feet. (She's always had paler, less yellow legs than the others, but this is extreme.)

~ She didn't lay this morning, though she did yesterday - a perfectly normal egg.



Any ideas? I'm terribly worried, but have no idea what to do.

 

[daddy_roo]

have you listened to her breathing? Im no vet but these symptoms sound similar to a human with low oxygen, or having trouble breathing. I do not know how to tell you to start treating her but that is where I would start looking. Sorry Im not more help.

 

[Pony Trotsky]

No, that is helpful, daddy roo. Thank you.

I went out to check on her after reading your post, and found her sitting quite still in the sun. I don't hear a rasping or wheezing sound, and she's not breathing rapidly at all. If anything, she's breathing rather more slowly than usual.

She really does not look well . . . my poor little bird!

 

[seminolewind]

If she gets a purple-y comb, it could be a cardiac thing.

 

[Pony Trotsky]

Thank you. I thought that might be it, as it's the only thing I've read about that sounds even remotely similar.

Also, she seems to be drinking a great deal of water. Does that ring any bells?

 

[dawg53]

Pick her up and inspect her for lice/mites. Mites can suck alot of blood and cause anemia, similar symptoms you're seeing. Eventually death will follow if it's mites. However, standing and puffed up could possibly mean she is eggbound. If it's not mites, soak her for about 20 minutes in a container of warm water up to her sides and massage her underside. The warm water will expand her innards and the massaging will help move the egg along. You can put a little olive oil inside her vent to make it easier for her to lay the egg.

 

[Pony Trotsky]

When I went out to the barn at 6, I found my poor girl dead.

Her comb looked shrunken and purple, and her face very dark; her legs and feet were nearly white, with pale purple soles. Otherwise, nothing unusual about the body.

What on earth could kill a healthy bird so quickly?? I'm very worried about my two remaining pullets, but I have no idea how to protect them.

 

[dmccann]

I am so sorry,i have had it happen to me also in the past,1 had cocci,1unkown maybe bad heart,she just squalked and flipped upside down feet up,1 henny penny i still do not know it came on with the heat this summer. I love chickens but they can be so learning,hugs to u

 

[onthespot]

coccidia? Most states have a diagnostic lab and they will autopsy your bird for free. They do it so they can keep the commercial poultry safe from communicable diseases.

 

[Pony Trotsky]

Thank you, guys. The sympathy of fellow chicken lovers means a lot.

I don't think it was coccidia, because she didn't have any of the symptoms, and simply wasn't sick long enough. In fact, she looked much better last night, and I actually thought she was on the mend. She easily flew up to her roost instead of taking the ladder, and happily ate sunflower seeds out of my hand at bed time.

I examined the bedding on the poop board under the roost (changed daily) and can't find anything weird looking. The other two pullets look perfectly fine.

A necropsy is a really good idea. My small animal vet doesn't do chickens (I know because I called) and I hadn't thought of the extension service. Thank you so much.