What's happening to her comb? PICS!

[meadrian]

My 20 week NHR seems to be slow to develop. That's OK, but I came home from vacation and although her comb grew a little (very) bit, she now has pink skin on one side of the comb and the comb leans toward the other side. She eats, drinks, pecks and seems otherwise healthy. She has had more clear liquid surrounding her feces lately, but other than that she seems fine. No lice or mites. No pecking that I know of.

Any ideas if this is normal or something's wrong????

Looking forward any insight! Thanks!

 

[Judy]

That IS odd. My guesses would be an old injury or something congenital.

The watery poo could just be hot weather (you don't say where you are.)

Have you seen this poo chart?

http://www.chat.allotment.org.uk/index.php?topic=17568.0

 

[meadrian]

I look at that chart obsessivley!

It's not an old injury because I've had her since she was 4 days old. For the first time today she's doesn't seem to be feeling well. She's sitting all the time. I'm in San Francisco where it's been 65 - 70 degrees, so not too hot. Between the continual clear fluid, the comb and now her energy level dropping, I'm pretty sure she's sick. With what? I don't know.

 

[Judy]

If the drooping is new it could be dehydration. Cocci, maybe? They don't always have blood in the droppings; I think it depends what species of cocci they have.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=218859&p=1

 

[meadrian]

Well, they've recently been treated for cocci. I brought her to the vet, got a fecal test. Came back clean. She said her liver is slightly enlarged, but sometimes that happens in young birds. She was bright eyed, healthy and seemed fine except for the excess liquid. Now today she seems to have gone downhill overnight. I can tell she isn't well. I was looking in Gail Damerow's Chicken Health Handbook and she seems to have symptoms for "campylobaceriosis". Think it's time for the vet.

 

[Judy]

Was the cocci treatment a sulfa drug or other antibiotic, or amprolium? If an antibiotic, she probably needs her normal gut flora reestablished with probiotics. Try just a bit of live culture yogurt if you have it, or drug store or feed store probiotics, of course. Or even organic ACV in the water.

 

[meadrian]

Thanks. It was Amprolium. They got live culture yogurt for awhile after that and nowtwo or three times a week. Sometimes with oatmeal. I used to give AVC in the water once a week, but haven't in several. Guess I should start that up again. I've given them electrolytes once a week 2 weeks after they finished the amprolium. Hopefully some of this will help. My girl seemed to take a turn today for the worse. Before today she seemed fine. Today all of a sudden she's lethargic, sleepy and just laying down in different places.

 

[Judy]

Well, if it had been Sulmet, probiotics might have been an easy fix. ACV is wonderful but probably not going to solve the problem. I wish I knew the answer. She is at point of lay so I have been trying to avoid the possibility of an egg machinery problem.

Let us know what the vet says, OK, if you do that?

 

[birdsofthefarm]

Easter Eggers have small combs