Purple and drooping comb, no appetite, poopy butt, etc.

[HenriettaPizzaNolan]

I’m so happy to hear that your hen did well and is still with you! Ours sadly passed on Wednesday . It’s been a very sad week for us. We lost a different hen on Sunday…. I’m really hoping we don’t lose another one!

Aw I am so sorry to hear! Maybe you should post some of the symptoms of these hens on BYC. I wonder if it's something contagious going around your flock.

 

[LaFleche]

Thanks for the advice. Is it okay to deworm if I'm not certain it's worms? Do I have to worm the whole flock? I have never done this before so sorry for newbie questions.

Deworming will not harm them.

I would definitely deworm the whole flock and try to scoop up as much of their droppings in the run and outside as possible during the deworming period.
Then change the complete bedding including nest boxes and burn it.

If possible, let them range on fresh grounds.

 

[Eggcessive]

She may have a reproductive problem called salpingitis (internal laying of egg material that solidifies known as lash egg material.) Or she could have ascites (water belly) which is common in hens with liver problems related to reproductive disorders or cancer. Keep her area below the vent clean if it gets droppings on it, since flies laying eggs (flystrike) can be deadly.
Water belly may cause labored breathing and a blue comb. If there is fluid inside the belly, sometimes removing some with an 18 gauge needle inserted under the skin of the lower belly can give some temporary relief. I have had several that had water belly when I did a necropsy, but I only have drained one, since she had those issues of labored breathing. As long as they are getting around well, I do not intervene.

 

[HenriettaPizzaNolan]

She may have a reproductive problem called salpingitis (internal laying of egg material that solidifies known as lash egg material.) Or she could have ascites (water belly) which is common in hens with liver problems related to reproductive disorders or cancer. Keep her area below the vent clean if it gets droppings on it, since flies laying eggs (flystrike) can be deadly.
Water belly may cause labored breathing and a blue comb. If there is fluid inside the belly, sometimes removing some with an 18 gauge needle inserted under the skin of the lower belly can give some temporary relief. I have had several that had water belly when I did a necropsy, but I only have drained one, since she had those issues of labored breathing. As long as they are getting around well, I do not intervene.

I get a feeling it could be salpingitis. 2 of my hens a while ago had it, and she is showing a lot of the same signs. I haven't seen a lash egg, but maybe it's coming. And actually, now that I think of it, my husband and I saw a weird-looking ball of fleshy-looking stuff in the yard today (not exactly oblong like an egg, but more circular). It was quite solid. I thought it was something from when we processed our meat birds today, but as I got a closer look it was no body part I could recognize. Reba was actually pecking at it (yuck). I wonder if she passed a lash egg there!

I have some antibiotics left from when I was attempting to treat my other hens with salpingitis. Is it worth it to give her those? It didn't seem to help anything with my other hen who passed a lash egg.