Rooster with comb color changing between purple and red

cuteychickens15

Songster
Aug 7, 2015
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Hi,
I have a 3 year old Buff Orpington rooster. His comb color keeps changing to purple towards the back and then back to red again a few hours later. I have read some posts on this forum and people say it's organ failure, heart failure or something like that. They say check for breast tissue, crop lumps and things like that.

I've checked his crop and it feels hard and smaller than it used to be. I don't always feel his crop but from what I remember at least 6 months ago, it was like a lumpy tennis ball (the food pellets inside it). I can feel lumps of food pellets in it but it seems to be more compact. I'm worried about him as he seems to be having these comb symptoms as well. I'm 18 and live with my parents, they are my chickens and I keep asking my mum not to give them anything like bread or anything else that may harm them (I've seen the list of what not to give chickens on BYC).

How do I know what breast tissue is when I feel it? Feeling around his front, it doesn't feel hard and bony, nor does it feel thick with lots of tissue. What is the problem with the crop? What should I be feeling for ? I feel a hard lump about an inch or so in diameter above the crop. The hens seem to have squashy crops where the rooster's crop is hard. They have been like this for a few months at least. I started noticing the purple comb about 1 month ago. I posted an article on this forum and someone @WyorpRock told me that I need more ventilation which I am still trying to work on (for now, I just keep the door that goes into the enclosed run half open for some air at night).

I'm really worried about my chickens. What can I do to help them ? I'm a hypochondriac with my own health so I really do worry about my chickens too.

Thankyou so much for taking your time. I really do appreciate it <3 :)
 
Hi,
I have a 3 year old Buff Orpington rooster. His comb color keeps changing to purple towards the back and then back to red again a few hours later. I have read some posts on this forum and people say it's organ failure, heart failure or something like that. They say check for breast tissue, crop lumps and things like that.

I've checked his crop and it feels hard and smaller than it used to be. I don't always feel his crop but from what I remember at least 6 months ago, it was like a lumpy tennis ball (the food pellets inside it). I can feel lumps of food pellets in it but it seems to be more compact. I'm worried about him as he seems to be having these comb symptoms as well. I'm 18 and live with my parents, they are my chickens and I keep asking my mum not to give them anything like bread or anything else that may harm them (I've seen the list of what not to give chickens on BYC).

How do I know what breast tissue is when I feel it? Feeling around his front, it doesn't feel hard and bony, nor does it feel thick with lots of tissue. What is the problem with the crop? What should I be feeling for ? I feel a hard lump about an inch or so in diameter above the crop. The hens seem to have squashy crops where the rooster's crop is hard. They have been like this for a few months at least. I started noticing the purple comb about 1 month ago. I posted an article on this forum and someone @WyorpRock told me that I need more ventilation which I am still trying to work on (for now, I just keep the door that goes into the enclosed run half open for some air at night).

I'm really worried about my chickens. What can I do to help them ? I'm a hypochondriac with my own health so I really do worry about my chickens too.

Thankyou so much for taking your time. I really do appreciate it <3 :)
My BO's comb does that according to the weather. As it gets warmer his comb is all red. In the mornings and evenings or cool days the back half is purple. It's sort of the equivalent of one's fingers looking blue on cold days.
 
My BO's comb does that according to the weather. As it gets warmer his comb is all red. In the mornings and evenings or cool days the back half is purple. It's sort of the equivalent of one's fingers looking blue on cold days.
So there's nothing to worry about?
What about his crop? It's the evening now in the UK and that's when i've just noticed it being purple (and it was the evening on the first occasion too). A few days ago, it was quite warm and sunny and he was sitting down.
 
Can you get a photo of this purple color the comb is turning?
I've put my chickens in for the night and it's too dark to take a picture but i've got some images from how it was a few weeks ago and it's the same way as it was then:

I'm sorry that they aren't good quality but you can see how it's dark grey at the back (Sorry, it's not purple, that was a mistake)
 

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I've put my chickens in for the night and it's too dark to take a picture but i've got some images from how it was a few weeks ago and it's the same way as it was then:

I'm sorry that they aren't good quality but you can see how it's dark grey at the back (Sorry, it's not purple, that was a mistake)
I can't say that I see purple here...but I do see white.
Is this white stuff always there?
 

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