Purple White Leghorn

[cartercutiesbarns]

I have a 7 month old White Leghorn Pullet. She is purplish in the waddles and comb. She has been like this 10 days. Vet told us to buy oyster shells, and pebbles. That hasn't worked. We tried Garlic in the water, recommended in a vet book. She has a good appetite and drinks plenty of water. She is overweight, she has cleavage LOL! We feed Templeton Crumbles, and Farmers Best Scratch on a daily basis, with grass, hay, and bread. She is the only one that has this, the other leghorns, and Orpingtons are fine. She also hasn't started laying, and neither have the other leghorns, but the Orpingtons have, and the Orpingtons are a month younger. She has no mucus or discharge coming from her eyes, or nostrils. She's perfectly healthy expect for her discoloration on the face. Anyone have any suggestions? The chickens are also free ranged and are put up at night due to coyotes, foxes, and other vermin.

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

I've heard purple combs and waddles can be a sign of a heart problem/ poor circulation. I don't think theres really much you can do if that's the case. Perhaps someone else will come along with some other suggestions I'm not aware of. Good luck!

 

[sourland]

Are you sure that she is a leghorn and not a cornish X? Leghorns are trim birds with white earlobes. Leghorns also start laying well before 7 months of age. The symptoms that you describe are fairly typical of heart issues which plague cornish X.

Ducks waddle--chickens have wattles.

 

[cartercutiesbarns]

Yes I am sure she is a White Leghorn, she was shown 2-3 times this year in March and got two 2nds, and a third. Although she is overweight, we have them on free feed. We have had her for 6 months, we got her when she was 4 weeks old. She was bright red, until 10 days ago, and a few of the other hens are starting to leg eggs.