3 1/2 year old sapphire gem.... heart? Heat?

[rbc-bow-chicka]

I have a 3.5 yo sapphire gem which i discovered lying in the doorway of a coop a few mornings ago. I was stepping over her to conduct morning chores. I knew I had to bring her up to the house and no one was bothering her, so I left her while I wrapped up.

During the time she was on the ground, her head would kind of tip like she was dosing off, then she would straighten up. I brought her up to a cage and she immediately went over onto her side. It really didn't look like she was long for the world.

I brought her red cell h20 and she began drinking independently, which was shocking. Before I knew it, she was standing. So I took her pellets... and she went nuts for them.

I can't piece together what transpired, but I figured the intense heat had caught up with her.

After a couple of days, I took her back down and she immediately plopped down and didn't move. The other chickens were curious/pecking about her, so I knew I couldn't leave her there. So I scooped her up to go back to the house.

At that time, I noticed that the back of her comb (which is naturally floppy) was turning blue. I hadn't seen this before. When I put her back in her cage, she looked bad all over again. Next morning, the blue was gone and she was acting as she has been while uo here... which is pretty well .

I am presuming she has heart problems. What perplexes me is the coming and going of the blue tinge to that part of her comb. Does that happen?

I am prepared to try to take her back down to the coop again soon
.. she is eating, drinking, pooping, talkative while on the porch.... which is the same temp as the coops, but she does have a ceiling fan.

Any ideas?

Ps... she is in the same coop as the Isa with the swollen foot. See other post.

 

[The Coop Crew]

Strange that it comes and goes and it only happens in the coop. I wonder if she’s being bullied.
@Eggcessive
@Wyorp Rock
I bet they can help! They’re awesome and super knowledgeable

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Any lice or mites?
Photos of her and poop?

When was her last egg? If she should have laid an egg, then I'd start giving her Calcium Citrate.
You can find Calcium Citrate with D3 in the vitamin aisle of stores like Walmart, CVS, etc. Give 1 tablet daily, just pull down on her wattles, pop the tablet into the beak and let her swallow.

The comb turning blue from time to time can be from heart issues, organ dysfunction and/or sometimes reproductive disorders. Do you feel float or feeling of fluid in the abdomen below the vent between her legs? Is her crop emptying?

 

[rbc-bow-chicka]

I am so sorry. I have been remiss in checking back.

I have not noticed lice or mites, but I also have NOT given her a stem to stern look over. I did notice that her legs look a little scaly, and that COULD drive her just to have a lie down wherever she was motivated to.... and if far from the water, that could have been the problem.

She has not been laying much.... I'd say maybe once a month. She is in with Isa Browns so her egg really stands out as it is much larger and lighter.

Come to think of it, she had been lying around.... rather sleepy looking at times in the mornings. I noticed this was prior to one of her eggs showing up.... and after that, she resumed normal chicken business as usual. At the time, I imagined she might have had something reproductive related going on.

Her crop is emptying. I do not feel anything that resembles water belly.

My plan is to examine her tomorrow morning when it is cooler 1st thing in the am... and then likely give her a bath and put some Vaseline on her legs for good measure.

I appreciate your attention and questions!!!

 

[rbc-bow-chicka]

Strange that it comes and goes and it only happens in the coop. I wonder if she’s being bullied.
@Eggcessive
@Wyorp Rock
I bet they can help! They’re

Thank you so much for the tags. I have been a slow tender of chickens the past few days. The heat is bothering me also. Appreciate you!!!

 

[rbc-bow-chicka]

Sadly, Mrs Gray Chicken died right in front of me yesterday evening (which also resulted in an overcooked pork tenderloin as I ran out to investigate the flapping... because chickens 1st! )

i think the heat was the final straw. I also think, she had a lot more going on underneath the surface and those issues had been going on for months.... the kind of laying around and looking sleepy.... but then perking up and acting normally and blending in with the crowd. As it was, I figured she would have died as I was carrying her to the house and was surprised at a rebound. Without a necropsy will never know. Thank you all for your help.

Aside, I think Mrs. Isa Brown will be returning to her coop soon. Her limping and swelling seemed to resolve with rest.

So 50/50.... that's better than usual for me. Glad I could fix one at least.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I'm sorry to hear about Mrs. Gray Chicken.

You're right, hard to know what happened without necropsy. Often with laying hens, it's something reproductive (Cancer, EYP, etc.) and they can hide symptoms fairly well until they just can't. It's still sad losing them.
I have Sapphire Gems, they are lovely girls, lay really large eggs which always concern me. I lost one late last year to reproductive problems, the other 2 are still doing well, they are about 3.5 yrs old too - I call them The Purty Gerties

That's good news about Mrs. Isa Brown, glad to hear she's doing better!

 

[rbc-bow-chicka]

Aww. Thank you.

She and her sister (still with us) lay some whoppers and the sister's are every other day. The ISA's are def more moderately sized. I had the wild idea to hatch their eggs (ISA hen × some red sex link roo... prob ISA)... and some of those hens' eggs are absolute bombs. The heat has seemed to make their eggs more 'reasonably' sized.... cant imagine why... some science-y thing, no doubt. The girls are sweet, healthy and happy unless they are having a bowling ball kind of day. And I am reminded of how they got here. Not doing that again!!

I appreciate your condolences. I really love the SGs.