purple comb and wattles found on dead hen

[johnsl1]

Hello everyone I need some help.
I found one of my young aracona hens dead in a large wood pile where she likes to hide her eggs. No signs of struggle and no damage was noticed on her. However her comb and wattles(very small) and eyes appeared purple.
A friend suggested that she may have been bitten by a snake in the woodpile. I live in central Texas and some days our temperatures are warm but I really didn't feel like snakes would be all that active right now. She displayed no symptoms of distress in prior days.
Any ideas?

 

[lacyloo]

um the purple is from loss of circulation ..

sorry for ur loss

 

[lacyloo]

possibly a snake bite ?

 

[patandchickens]

That can happen just as a result of death. I wouldn't place much reliance on it to tell you what happened.

FWIW if they had been purpleish or bluish before death, that would be from impaired circulation such as heart problems, systemic infection, etc (or I suppose snakebite but that sounds really unlikely here).

Condolences,

Pat

 

[Layin Eggs]

possibly choked?

 

[johnsl1]

Thank you to everyone that gave me a response.
Choked - hadn't thought of that. Also very nice to know that the comb and wattles will turn purple after death. I've been watching the rest of my crew like a hawk - so far - so good.
Thank you again.

 

[kayri]

Sorry for you loss. Hope you have lots more to keep you smiling.

Kay

 

[Fancy Feather Poultry]

A choked chicken does do not turn
purple, all I can figure is a snake bite, disease
or maybe some sort of infection.

 

[Chickaroo!]

Sorry to hear about your loss. :aww I had one of my hens die on Tues. I don't know how/why she died, but her comb & wattles were "skin" colored. I've never owned chickens before and this was my first experience with one dying so I don't know what's normal and what's not.

 

[adoptedbyachicken]

since you say she goes there to lay eggs I'd consider eggbound as a cause of her death too. It impairs circulation and that is the reason they die straining.

Sorry for your loss.