Silkie unable to stand for a week.. PLS HELP!

[Smoky73]

glad peoples birds are doing better. Silkies are hard because with their feather type most of the time you cannot see the face, and they are so fluffy that you rarely notice a problem until its quite advanced. The longer you have them, the earlier you will be able to tell when something is wrong, just by a walk, or a stance. Sitting and observing is important to catch things early.

 

[BCfarmerwannabe]

Hey everyone
Just wanted to give an update about Cupcake, in case others find this thread with a hen/roo with similar symptoms... She is still not the picture of perfect health, by a long shot... She is still seperated from the other chickens and lives in the chicken apartment by day and in our home by night *sigh*... I am still feeding her special food (scraps from the kitchen, scrambled eggs, hen scratch, and a little layer pellets....I didnt think too much of giving her lots of layer pellets, as she's not laying...) I am still bathing her... every couple days...because she's in the house alot... (it helps keep away that barnyard smell) It is a long haul and mabye I should have culled her, but she really just seems so appreciative.. She stands all the time now... (except of course when she's sleeping) She is walking but she is still WAAAY off balance.... sometimes she walks backwards... but she is able to put herself away at night, in her apartment/playhouse (if I dont get home before dusk) or if its raining.... I no longer have to do what I called "chicken therapy" ... holding her up and helping her stand for at least 15 min a day 2x a day (to be honest that was the worst part of it) and it lasted about a week and a half... now she is really not much of a problem and looking after her isnt such a bother (I guess partially because I'm not worried if it starts to rain and i'm out, those types of things) She has gained some of the weight she lost and is suuuuper friendly now

I guess I just want to encourage others who have chickens with the same symptoms... It is a long road... but the "hard part" doesnt last too long... (I know.. I know... it feels like it when your in it) let me tell this hen certainly wasnt my fave before this started... but she might be now

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Thank you for the update! I hope she continues to improve.

 

[jerseygirl1]

I have a chick going thru the same thing, almost like splayed legs - I ran to the drugstore and got poly vi sol without iron and am giving her drops twice a day, and it really, really seems to be helping her, she can at least stand up instead of falling over, and is still eating and drinking. Have you tried the vitamins?

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

BCfarmerwannabe, when you mentioned walking backwards, that gave me a clue. i suspect she suffered a brain injury (peck on the head or bonk into something hard). The shaking head and walking backwards is a sign of that and/or vitamin deficiency. Give her either Poly Vi Sol without iron (three drops in the side of the beak every day), or try Avia Charge 2000, which can be found at Strombergs or Murray McMurray online. If you were inclined to see a vet, they might prescribe some prednisone to reduce any possible swelling of the brain.

It's wonderful you have taken the time to care for her so long. i do believe she will recover given the proper vitamins and nourishment. You may not want to put her back in with a roo. i finally ended up rehoming all my roos. As much as i love the sound of the crowing, my hens are so much happier not having someone chase them down and stand on their backs multiple times a day. Not to mention the peck on the head that begins and ends each courtship.

 

[featherz]

I have a splash silkie, about 12 weeks, doing the same thing, pretty much. It can still walk a little, but stumbles now and then and when I first saw it, kept missing the food dish. I figured out s/he could not see - all the fluff was in the eyes and wasn't moving. I wonder how long s/he was starving? I gave it a haircut around the eyes and she's eating like a pig and drinking tons of water. Still is not walking much, but can stand. Eyes look normal, but I think vision might be affected or there's a neck tick. Oh, also used the poly-vi-sol. None of the other silkies seem affected. I wonder if I should stop her from gorging after at least a few days of limited food?

 

[BCfarmerwannabe]

well... I have to admit I havent been giving the vitamins as I should be... as she started to improve I just sort of let off..Today she's outside (in the chicken apartment) She's walking great, almost normal... just has the odd stumble... another hen (THE Queen of the Coop) came to her fence and tried to peck at her through the fence... Cupcake pecked back, flapped around and ran away just like normal. I have to admit I was thrilled. It's nice to see her come around... and getting better every day... I guess I should continue with the vitamins? When does one get to stop? and when I re-introduce her to the flock do I do it like she's a new hen? I'm sure I'll wait at least a week until she is no longer stumbling... thanks for your input peeps

@featherz What is a splash silkie? I've been known to put ponytails in my polish hens feathers... poor things... but they are show chickens and I cant trim them during show season

 

[Smoky73]

Quote:
I find that many of my silkies with excessive crest feathering the birds exhibit kind of a head tick, where they let their head loll back and then pick it back up and then do it again. It would be a similar idea to what a person does when they are sitting up and they nod off to sleep, their head nods forwards and then they wake up, causing the head to straighten. It is the opposite direction in silkies. I have not had anything wrong with these birds, they eat and act fine otherwise and can breed, and if you tape the hair up or give haircuts, they straighten out quite a bit.