I think my chicken's sick!

[bestbestbuddy]

He didn't eat his food when I gave it to him. He's 6 months old. He wasn't all hoppy or anything like he usually is. He usually flies out of my arms right before I set him down, but this time he didn't.
Something happened to another chicken of mine too. First he wouldn't get up. Then he wouldn't eat his food or drink water. Then he was lying on his side and couldn't sit up. Then after a few days his body went cold.

 

[Wes in Tx]

Could be lots of things going on with him. What other symptoms does he have?

 

[bestbestbuddy]

Well, he's still drinking water. I just noticed it today. He hasn't been chirping lately. His head arches into his back. And he was sleeping in the center pf the box instead of at the sides where he usually does. He seemed fine when I brought him his food, but when I took off the top of the box to let him jump out he didn't jump and just stood there staring. He ate a little bit of his dinner.
I never figured out how my other chicken died either. My dad through him in the trash too when we weren't there!!

 

[bestbestbuddy]

I think he's getting better. He's eating some more.

 

[Wes in Tx]

You may need to take a poop sample to the vet and have him checked for enternal parasites.

 

[bestbestbuddy]

I think it was just the cold. I took him inside in another cardboard box, and I think he's getting better. This is the first time he's staying inside. It's probably him most peaceful sleep away from my dad talking on the phone, and his smoke.

 

[dlhunicorn]

stress from cold often affects their eating...their water will sometimes be frozen and will take awhile to thaw out (when they get too little water it has the same effect of salt poisoning)... also when it is cold their body channels all the energy and nutrients FOR that energy to keeping them warm which sometimes means they will have a nutrient deficiency even though they may appear to be eating "enough"...so it is a good idea to get a nutrition/vitamin formulation for poultry (look at your feedstore...they should have one... this IS different than poultry electrolytes with vitamins which should only be used in cases of dehydration or when they have had insufficient water or severe stress situations...if you have nothing else ...vitamins for pigeons or a bird vitamin from a pet store is also helpful or even a few drops of childrens vitamin such as POLYVISOL until your bird is better can help). What breed is your bird???

 

[bestbestbuddy]

He's a silkie.

 

[dlhunicorn]

...ahhh...well...in addition to the above it could be that your bird has a head injury...silkies have an anomaly in their skull (does not close>a "hole"-in-the-head if you will) which means that the brain can become easily bruised from a peck or such and this will produce the head symptom you are describing/waking in circles and other neurological symptoms...you can read about it in the article below (it is long but please read through all of it) which also gives a treatment ...
http://dlhunicorn.conforums.com/index.cgi?board=casestudiesemergencies&action=display&num=1160927052
...this treatment has been very effective and saved many a bird.

in addition to that ... here is the thread with my collected links and articles to more possible sources of your problem... have a good think (perhaps something in one of these two links will ring some bells?)
http://dlhunicorn.conforums.com/index.cgi?board=emergencies&action=display&num=1160928615

 

[bestbestbuddy]

Is it bad to give a chicken dry, uncooked rice? My sister said if they ate that, and then drink water the rice would expand in their stomach. Is that true? I've always been feeding my chicken that.