My Babs is dying

[Sandra Verbreyt]

I have 2 Silkies Babs and Margo.
Babs has been very ill now for 4 or 5 weeks and despite numerous visits to the vet and varioous medications today she is very ill and can not even lift her head.
Yesterday I noticed mites etc aroound her bottom and so I bathed her to clean them away. Since doing this she went downhill and is now in the coop head down and not moving at all .
I intend on replacing her with another Silkie so that Margo will not be lonely. Has anybody any advice on how to introduce an new chicken to margo as im quite new to having chickens.
BYC has become my saviour where the chickens are concerned. Thanks for any advice that anybody can give.

 

[ChickNanny13]

You may want to introduce 2 new Silkies to Margo, starting with the See but No Touch idea. Keep the 2 Newbies in a wire cage (food & water) in the coop with Margo for a few weeks, see how they interact before doing a supervised "play".

Sorry to hear of Babs illness How old is she? If she has mites, you may want to check Margo also as well as their coop/bedding would need to be treated.

 

[Sandra Verbreyt]

You may want to introduce 2 new Silkies to Margo, starting with the See but No Touch idea. Keep the 2 Newbies in a wire cage (food & water) in the coop with Margo for a few weeks, see how they interact before doing a supervised "play".

Sorry to hear of Babs illness How old is she? If she has mites, you may want to check Margo also as well as their coop/bedding would need to be treated.

Babs is just 2 years old. I have been working so hard to help her. I rescued her from a neighbours garden who moved and just left her behind. 4 weeks ago she was diagnosed with intestinal parasites and given 'Emdotrim'. However her breathing was not so good and she was soooo thin. I took her to another vet who gave her an antibiotic. Although not too lively and rather slow she appeared to be slowly improving. Then yesterday I noticed the mites etc around her bottom so I bathed her to clean them off. Since that she has gone swiftly downhill and is now layiing in the chicken house head down slow breathing and not moving at all. I feel so helpless.

 

[N F C]

I'm sorry you and Margo are going through this. It is a helpless feeling to see the decline of an animal we care for.

@ChickNanny13 makes a good point about treating your other bird (and their coop) for mites also.

Wishing you all the best.

 

[TheSillyDingo]

Silkies are great birds and i am really sorry you're going through this. I commend you for rescuing her and trying to save her life! I agree with getting get 2 birds and the cage idea. That may be best. Before that though i would take care of the coop and ensure all the mites are gone.

 

[1muttsfan]

Please don't feel guilty for bathing her. Birds are adept at masking their illnesses, and she was likely sicker than you could have realized. You did the right thing trying to help her, she just does not have enough energy to tolerate any attempts at assisting her. So sorry that you have to go through this.

 

[Sandra Verbreyt]

Thankyou to everybody for your kind words. I will clean out the coop and disinfect it before allowing Margo to return to it. At the moment Margo seems very lost wandering around the garden looking for Babs. Some say 'Its only a chicken' but to me my pets are much more than just only. We will miss little Babs

 

[Sandra Verbreyt]

Please don't feel guilty for bathing her. Birds are adept at masking their illnesses, and she was likely sicker than you could have realized. You did the right thing trying to help her, she just does not have enough energy to tolerate any attempts at assisting her. So sorry that you have to go through this.

Thankyou for your kind words

 

[drumstick diva]

Sandra, no one here will think "it's just a chicken."

 

[Sandra Verbreyt]

Sandra, no one here will think "it's just a chicken."

thankyou