Ruby unwell?

[Spreckly]

Ruby, our last girl hasn't laid for several weeks, and is still moulting like mad. She looks as if she has been in a fight. What concerns me more is her comb, which is getting paler, has a blue tinge at the top, and is no longer standing upright. In herself she seems OK, eating well, but I wonder if it is the moult which is causing the comb colour, and lack of eggs.

Has anyone else experienced this?

Also, we are looking after a neighbour's hens for a week, and his girls are out of lay as well, but not moulting.

We lost Lizzie just over a month ago, and decided not to get a companion for Rubes, but I just wonder if she is pining.

[albertajune]

None of my three girls are laying at the moment. Two just finishing a moult but Fifi my oldest girl is still losing feathers and her comb is a bit paler than norm. As she is still diving around and eating well and still being top girl, I'm not concerned that she is poorly as she is just the same in that way as usual.
I am no expert but I would think that your girl is just normal. Not sure about the floppy comb though. As I believe the moult does take something out of them, I've been upping their protein to help them.
I hope someone can put your mind at rest

[aceface]

she mght be a bit lonely spreckly but I had similar with my two big girls 2 weeks ago and I wormed them success upright combs within 2 days and looked much healthier I saw no evidence of worms un their poo either before or during worming but something must have been brewing I recko n I hope she perks up xxxx

[kitla]

My bantam leghorn normally has an enormous floppy bright red comb, but she had
a really big moult this month & while she turned into a scruffy pom-pom her comb
shrivelled up to a tiny pale thing, tinged with blue. She's now finally back to her
beautiful self & her comb is huge and red again and yesterday she laid her first egg
in a month! So I wouldn't worry too much about Ruby, she'd probably appreciate
extra mealworms while she's growing those feathers though.

[Linda S]

I hope Ruby is soon back to her best Spreckly, shes could well still be missing Lizzie our girls have been down in the dumps when they have lost a sister Lindaxx

[Spreckly]

Kitla - your description fits Ruby perfectly. I am more concerned about her comb than her moult, as the feathers are growing back.

[Chookaholic]

My girl really appreciated a little cat food as well as mealworms

I hope ruby recovers soon and your mind is at rest :)

[Spreckly]

This afternoon I found Ruby crouching in the corner of the hut. She wouldn't come out when I called, but things look rather black. She always has mealworms in an afternoon, so I shall try and temp her with some.

[sandy]

Aw come on Ruby Does her chest sound okay? A tinged comb can be chest problems, I gave my girl tylan when she had a purple tinged comb.

[Spreckly]

Ruby has flown off to the Rainbow Bridge. She had gone when we went to let her out this morning. She was the last of our girls.

Though not a total surprise, it was still a shock. We are glad that she has not suffered for long. We have buried her near Lizzie, under the apple trees.

How we will miss them all. I have still been calling out Lizzie Lou, and Ruby has always responded very quickly, in the hope of her afternoon mealworms and corn. We are so sad, two girls in two months.

[tamk23]

So sorry

Fly high over rainbow bridge Ruby

[ChickenCarol]

I am so sorry that you have lost Ruby. Sending you hugs.

[bmpsands]

Sorry to hear about Ruby. As you say, she didn't have a miserable, protracted end.

We lost two girls in a couple of months recently and it really is a blow. How can one have got so attached to a hen? You have to have known chickens to understand, I think.

[Chookaholic]

So sorry to hear you lost your last girl

Love and hugs to you

[jemberelli]

So sorry Spreckly