oh. that's terrible. her comb going purple sounds like lungs and or heart to me but i don't really know. how old was she and what kind?

I'm so sorry you lost your pet. :(

Is it possible she had worms? Losing weight mysteriously, without indications of suffering from any specific disease or ailment is referred to as 'going light'. It does happen sometimes. There are many things that could have happened to her, from something she ate that was toxic, to Coccidiosis, to proventriculitis (an obstruction in her digestive tract) to tumors-- there would be no way to tell short of an x-ray and visit to the vet.

The purple comb could indicate poor circulation (was it shrunken as well?), which again could be caused by a number of things, including worms.

Do you have any other chickens? If so, if at all possible you should check the dead hens' poops for worms. If you see worms in her poop you need to worm the rest of your flock ASAP.

I've got more on my chicken info site here, it might help you narrow down what happened.

http://home.earthlink.net/~velvetsparrow/VSChickHealth.htm

Velvet ~:>

what about mites? My rooster died this way too..then I found out he was infested with mites an he became anemic. I treated the rest,but he didn't make it :(

beeliz, mites can cause this, also, but usually a healthy bird can preen itself and keep mites under control--if the bird is suffering from another ailment (or old age) however, mites are opportunistic little beasts and can quickly turn the tables on the bird and overwhelm it--illness or other parasites are a perfect gateway for mites. :( Mite outbreaks on their own certainly aren't unheard of, but a lot of times they are a symptom of a larger problem. Depends on the type of bird as well--I have to keep a closer eye on my feather footed cochins and the Polish girls' head poofs for mites, those areas are more difficult for the bird to preen effectively.

Velvet ~:>

I have six hens..about 3 mo...I let them roam in an enclosed fence area..It is not too high and I think maybe one of them jumped the fence..it was late and the five other hens were already inside...My wife and I searched with flashlights for about a half an hour to no avail..In the morning she was back in the enclosure clucking like nothing had happened. Where could she have gone.? I thought for sure she would be night food..I live in the woods..I am getting a higher fence today....lol.

Look for a hidden nest of eggs! Especially if she starts to exhibit signs of broodiness--fluffed up, clucking and being bad-tempered.

Velvet ~:>