DYING SILKIE: Please help I don't want to lose her!

[SilkieLover01]

I have a silkie hen who I got at a poultry swap last fall. I've moved, shipped her across the country in a shipping carton in January, and she and my other hen have been through too much to lose her now.

She was fine that I could tell yesterday. The kids cleaned the coop and took waterers out and Didnt put them back in last night. I found her today at about 10 am, with that "iffy" look I've learned too well in the last 13 years of having birds. The "im circling the drain" look. I put her in a carrier with regular water (which she gladly drank on her own) and sav a chick electrolyte water. T
Tonight she looks worse. She doesn't weigh much, So maybe worms, but she's never been a very hefty bird to begin with, so I can't imagine that being the case.
She's not pasted up. I don't know what happened. 12 hours without water isn't enough to cause something like this..

Please help. Any suggestions for things that actually WORK in saving a bird? She's one of the few links I have to my old life and I don't want to lose her.

She's at that point where she will still drink, but she didn't fight me just now when I grabbed her, and she's not really standing up. Is she savable at this point?

 

[GitaBooks]

Could you try taking her to the vet? Make sure she isn't too hot, try tube feeding her, check her for parasites. Keep giving her vitamins to strengthen her. It could be egg binding, this can lead to trouble walking.

I really hope she gets better.

 

[SilkieLover01]

Vet isn't an option at this point--it's a small town and NO ONE does chickens. They'd look at me strangely and do nothing but take my exam fee. It's also after 8 pm. I use to work for the only clinic that's open this late at night, and they certainly don't do dying birds.

Egg binding is an option, but to be honest I've never seen her, with 100% certainty lay. My other hen has, I've seen it happen, but I've never been sure if "Lucy" has layed any of them. I don't even know how old she is. All I know is she's a tiny darling little birchen silkie who I've been foolish enough to name, and get attached to.

 

[GitaBooks]

Keep her comfortable and hydrated. If it is a virus, there is little you can do. Bacteria needs to be fought with antibiotics. Wormers can be dangerous for under-weight animals (so I hear). I hope there are others who can explain to you which one it is.

 

[SilkieLover01]

Just to be sure I called the only vet clinic that's still open. Quote "no we don't treat farm animals. The only thing we can do is euthanize her." Yeah. So helpful.

 

[SilkieLover01]

Would pedialyte mixed with raw egg do anything? Or nothing more than the electrolytes have done?

 

[GitaBooks]

Would pedialyte mixed with raw egg do anything? Or nothing more than the electrolytes have done?

Scrambled eggs are a great treat to offer. If you offer scrambled eggs, it will give them the salt and vitamins they need. Pedialyte is just a type of electrolyte mix.

 

[SilkieLover01]

Just asked the kids if they've seen anything "off" with Lucy. The 14 year old shrugs, "yeah she's seemed tired for like 2 days. No big deal."
Im really angry now. I work all day. When im watering and feeding is at night or in the morning, when everybody is still cuddling and sleeping. They're here in the middle OFNTHE day--they've seen something's been up, yet never bothered to mention it to me, or give her electrolytes.

 

[Sutremaine]

When was the last time they were told explicitly that a bird seeming tired for two days is something of a big deal?

And how is Lucy now?