2 month silkie, not adjusting...acting sick

[briteday]

I just acquired 4 silkies from a farm yesterday. They made a pretty long road trip of about 6 hours, seemingly fine. There are two day olds and two 2-month olds. The babies are doing great along with one of the 2 month olds.

The other 2 month old is laying, backing up into a corner, not having much to do with anyone, and only seems to walk backwards! I thought I would give her the night to settle in. But this morning I found her huddled on top of the waterer. Needless to say her breast feathers were wet so I quickly wrapped her up and dried her off. She didn't seem to be eating or drinking. So I mixed up warm water with a bit of sugar. I've been giving her a cc or two each hour this morning. Now mid-morning and not much change.

I'm new at this so should I jsut continue with the water and be sure she is warm enough? Any other suggestions??

 

[3peeps]

Is it possible it came to you sick? Perhaps the long drive stressed it out or made it dehydrated. Is it eating? Could you offer it some hard-cooked egg yolk to entice it? I'm not truly educated on this matter, but...

I am sorry. I'm pretty sure I'm going to lose a baby chick today. We've tried a lot, but I think it's just one of those things.

 

[chickenwhisperer123]

Make sure nobodies picking on it. If someone is you need to get the sick chicken away from them.

Maybe try to make some mash (food and water) as it is easier for them to eat...

Good luck!

 

[Poulets De Cajun]

If she's walking backwards, she may have a bit of a head injury or wry neck. Silkies with wry neck, or "crook" neck will often walk backwards.

 

[briteday]

The friend who transported the chick for me said it was eating and walking around when she got home on Friday afternoon to her house. Ipicked up the chicks around 6:30, so not that much later.

I've been using a syringe to drip sugar water, about 1cc every hour. And on the advice of the person who transported (far more knowledgeable than me!), separatedd out this one from the rest. She thinks the other 2-month old is more dominant and may have been pecking on the other one.

More later...

 

[Poulets De Cajun]

pecking = head injury = brain swelling = walking backwards

 

[briteday]

OK, so I'm a medical biochemist and read some of the treatment data for this. Until I can get some prednisone on Monday from the vet I'm treating with vitamins E & B, as well as selenium.

Has anyone ever had a chick that recovered?

 

[chutewoman]

I have a silkie who had trouble with its neck when it was about 5 wks old. It would rest it on its back and eventually end up with its head between its legs and then flip over, it would do this while running backwards. I gave it vi-tal vitamins in its water and I let it out into the sunlight. After about 3 days it was doing just fine. I know I caught it quickly though. Good luck with yours!!