Urgent, yellowing skin and other symptoms

[Kanesmom1697]

Rhode Island Red 8 months old. Not sure if she's laying, we have 33 hens and can't always keep track of who's laying. Noticed her symptoms 4 days ago. Pale comb and wattles with purplish tint. Yellowing face and vent area. Standing around allot and moving slowly. Eating and drinking is minimum. We have been syringing her also. I did bath her multiple times and liquid calcium to rule out egg bound. Also no mites or worms present. She's fluffed up and keeping her head against her body. Small amounts of runny green and white poop. No open mouth breathing. We brought her inside 2 nights ago. No feed changes and no new birds brought in. All my girls were raised together. She's the only one with these symptoms. We do ACV with every other water change. They get fresh veggies every morning and every few days we add garlic and cinnamon. Cracked corn is given in afternoon as a treat. They have layer feed 24/7.

 

[Eggcessive]

She looks very pale to me, possibly anemic and sick. Has she ever laid eggs, and how long since the last time? Usually first year layers will lay throughout the winter even with short daylight hours. I worry that she may have mites or some reproductive disorder, but she also could be suffering from some intestinal infection or organ failure.

First I would look her over for any signs of mites or lice. Stop any corn or other treats, and give her only water and layer feed, and a little chopped egg. Get some Poultry NutriDrench or Poultry Cell, and give her 3 ml per day. Let us know if she will eat and drink. Has she lost any weight through her breast area when you pick her up, or does she have any fullness in her lower belly? How does her crop fell—empty, full, soft, firm, or puffy?

 

[micstrachan]

I agree she looks like she could be anemic and parasites are the first thing to check.
Please examine her and answer the questions above, which will be helpful.
Sorry your chicken is not feeling well.
Has she had a juvenile molt or is she starting to drop any feathers now?

 

[micstrachan]

Forgot to add: you can’t tell whether she has worms without a fecal float. Is there a Vet who can perform one for you?

 

[Kanesmom1697]

I can't say if she laid before, I have 19 reds and its hard to tell the difference. I know she hasn't laid in the past 4 days. She was eating and drinking good up to yesterday, the puffing up and sleeping more started yesterday. I did check her over multiple times and no mites are present. Ive only been offering her fresh veggies, scrambled eggs, grit, some layer feed, some cat food the past 4 days. Stomach feels roundish and firm. Crop was empty yesterday and no foul smell. There is no vet near by. We did syringe her yesterday to keep her fluids up. I will check over again.

 

[Kanesmom1697]

I'm honestly thinking its either heart or liver failure. I dusted her for mites and gave her de~wormer. Her wattles and comb are turning more blue/purple. Even her legs are going blue/purple color. You can hear her breathing but no rattling or mucus, airways are clear but her breathing is labored. She is struggling to stay awake, she's constantly standing. I do take her out in the yard and let her enjoy some sunshine. She will peck a small amount at the ground and will walk about a foot and then rest with her eyes closed, then walk little further.

 

[rebrascora]

I would agree that it may well be liver failure. That yellow colouring is like jaundice. How much corn do you give them between how many birds and what type of layer feed to you give them.... pellets, crumbles or a grain mix? A dietary imbalance can cause serious health issues and death in some instances, so keeping carbohydrate rich treats like cracked corn/scratch etc to a minimum or even none at all is safer. meal worms and fruit and veggies are a better substitute.

 

[Kanesmom1697]

I have 33 hens and they only get a small scoop daily of cracked corn so not much at all, they get layer pellets. I give them fresh veggies every morning for breakfast, they don't get much starch only here and there.

 

[lazy gardener]

Personally, I'd be planning to euthanize her at this point. She's continuing to decline.

 

[rebrascora]

Do you feel able to open her up and do a necropsy if she dies? Some birds have a predisposition for developing fatty deposits and fatty liver and too much corn or scratch can cause that, whereas other birds are fine.
If that is the issue, you will find lots of thick yellow fat inside her abdomen and her liver will usually have a yellowy cast to it and often break apart when you handle it.