Wobbly, Off-balance Silkie

[krissyweso]

I am writing about my 2 year old silkie hen, Sneaker, who is acting strange: wobbling and standing off-balance. She is eating and pooping totally normally, and she still runs around and acts normal. She seems strong, fighting with a lot of gusto to get down if she doesn't want to be held.

I'm wondering if she could have hurt her leg?

This weekend, I began introducing three new silkies to my current flock; Two of the silkies (Chili and Turnip) are the offspring of Sneaker, and one (Purd) is a 2 year old silkie I adopted and have had in quarantine for three weeks.

Sneak is definitely near the bottom of the pecking order, only above her two babies, so she has been getting picked on (as well as picking on others... and losing).

I also know that introducing new birds can put stress on the chickens emotionally, and they can get ill.

I brought her inside and she's confined to a small dog crate.

Anyone have any ideas or experience with this?

Here are some videos of her:

 

[nuthatched]

Silkies are prone to a vitamin deficiency known as wry neck, give her 1 400.i.u vitamin E capsule and about 1/3 of a Vitamin B complex tablet every day for about two week or until conditions improve. Just pull down on her waddles and pop it into her mouth. These are found in the vitamin section at the grocery store

 

[krissyweso]

Silkies are prone to a vitamin deficiency known as wry neck, give her 1 400.i.u vitamin E capsule and about 1/3 of a Vitamin B complex tablet every day for about two week or until conditions improve. Just pull down on her waddles and pop it into her mouth. These are found in the vitamin section at the grocery store

Great. I'll do that. I think I already have them from a chicken I had with Marek's.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Any lice or mites? Check her over really well.
Any infection in the ears?

Starting the vitamins is a very good idea.

 

[krissyweso]

Any lice or mites? Check her over really well.
Any infection in the ears?

Starting the vitamins is a very good idea.

I will double check for mites, but I don't think she has them. I'm pretty paranoid about mites, so I check my flock a lot.

I'll have to look up what a chicken ear infection looks like, but I will check for that, too.

Thank you!!

 

[puddle_drinker]

I am writing about my 2 year old silkie hen, Sneaker, who is acting strange: wobbling and standing off-balance.

Make sure the lid is on for any hard cider bottles in the area.

 

[krissyweso]

Make sure the lid is on for any hard cider bottles in the area.

Right? Stumbling and a healthy appetite usually points that direction, huh? Like mother, like daughter!

 

[krissyweso]

Any lice or mites? Check her over really well.
Any infection in the ears?

Starting the vitamins is a very good idea.

Can you tell or show me what I'm looking for with an ear infection?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Can you tell or show me what I'm looking for with an ear infection?

There's a small tuft of feathers on the side of her head, it may be harder to find since she's a Silkie, but if you look behind the tuft, you will see the ear canal. It should be clean with no yellow gunk, bugs, etc.

Photo Credit

 

[krissyweso]

There's a small tuft of feathers on the side of her head, it may be harder to find since she's a Silkie, but if you look behind the tuft, you will see the ear canal. It should be clean with no yellow gunk, bugs, etc.

Photo Credit

Thank you!

Her ears are clear and no mites.

I felt her legs, and her right fibula feels like it's swollen, so I do think she may have pulled a muscle. I'm going to look around the site for tips, but if you all know anything off of the top of your head that could help her heal, I'd love to hear.

I know I should keep her pretty still (so keep her in the crate), and I'm thinking of maybe making her a chicken sling swing (We had to do that for my chicken with Marek's). I also know that I should give her Vitamin D and B to help her muscles and bones. Anything I'm missing?