Pullet with purple comb and Lethargic.

[ShadowsFIAL]

She was fine yesterday. Walking around, eating and drinking. Today after work she is just standing like she was in the pic above. She is eating cracked corn out of my hand. Is it possible she is egg bound with her first egg? Any other possibilities? None of the other pullets or hen are acting sick. We did just have a drastic weather change from 100 down to the 60's and 70's.

 

[Suzie]

A purple comb usually means that they are not getting enough oxygen..is she breathing heavily? Any rattling to her chest area? Sneezing?

Drastic weather changes could be an issue ....

I would advise initially keeping her warm indoors...observe her behaviour over the next 12 hours...if no improvement...take her to a Vet...she may need antibiotics..

Good luck and keep updating with any improvement or deterioration in her behaviour....

 

[ShadowsFIAL]

@Suzie

She is breathing heavier than the rest, but aside from that no nasal discharge and no sneezing. I will have to go and check to see if I can hear any rattling.
Edit: I don't hear any rattling in her chest. And her breathing sounds like the other hens. She feels quite cold though.

 

[ShadowsFIAL]

She is also still very much interested in water.

 

[Suzie]

I would keep her indoors or at least under a heat lamp...she may well be better once she is warmer..she may benefit from a warm bath...if she is having difficulty in passing an egg, she would relax in warm water with a gentle massage on her underside towards her vent..

 

[ShadowsFIAL]

I would keep her indoors or at least under a heat lamp...she may well be better once she is warmer..she may benefit from a warm bath...if she is having difficulty in passing an egg, she would relax in warm water with a gentle  massage on her underside towards her vent..

I am trying to convince my mother to let me give her a warm bath. For now I set up a heat lamp for her. I massaged her underside and she seemmed to relax and close her eyes. Is there any way to tell if there is an egg in there? Would I be able to feel it? What would it feel like?

 

[cafarmgirl]

Bathing can cause additional stress and if she's having breathing issues already, along with the blue comb, I'd be very hesitant to do anything that might increase her breathing issues. This seems more indicative of a circulatory problem, something with the heart or respiratory tracts rather then egg bound. Check her carefully all over, see if she feels like she's lost weight. Especially see if she feels full, or bloated in her lower abdomen, what you are checking for there is ascites. Check a healthy bird first so you know if there is a difference. Also be careful with the heat lamp that you don't overheat her, I think she'd most likely be best and safest at normal room temp.

If you want to check for an egg you can put on a rubber glove with some petroleum jelly and carefully insert one finger into her vent maybe half an inch or so, don't overdo it. If there's an egg stuck you should be able to feel it.

 

[Eggcessive]

You can insert a gloved finger inside the vent 1-2 inches to feel for an egg. What is the white powder in the run? Could that be affecting her breathing?

 

[ShadowsFIAL]

Bathing can cause additional stress and if she's having breathing issues already, along with the blue comb, I'd be very hesitant to do anything that might increase her breathing issues. This seems more indicative of a circulatory problem, something with the heart or respiratory tracts rather then egg bound. Check her carefully all over, see if she feels like she's lost weight. Especially see if she feels full, or bloated in her lower abdomen, what you are checking for there is ascites. Check a healthy bird first so you know if there is a difference. Also be careful with the heat lamp that you don't overheat her, I think she'd most likely be best and safest at normal room temp.

If you want to check for an egg you can put on a rubber glove with some petroleum jelly and carefully insert one finger into her vent maybe half an inch or so, don't overdo it. If there's an egg stuck you should be able to feel it.

I didn't feel anything in her lower abdomen when I palpated, so i do not think it is an egg. I set her up in the coop by herself with a heat lamp. it is nice and cozy in there, not to hot and not to cold. I also provided her with water and food. Her crop feels empty, and she doesn't really feel like she has lost weight. I honestly don't know if she will make it through the night. =(

You can insert a gloved finger inside the vent 1-2 inches to feel for an egg. What is the white powder in the run? Could that be affecting her breathing?

I put the white powder in when I got home, she was acting this way before I put the DE in their run. So it couldn't be what is causing the issue. =/