5 MONTH OLD CHICKEN LOOKING VERY UNWELL

[D0DG3RR]

So I had some silkies hatch in May and the smallest one has since grown suddenly ill. This morning I let them all out and all but her came out, at first I thought she'd been hurt so I checked her legs and body and wings and all seemed fine. I then put her on the ground and instead of hopping off straight away she waited till I put my hand on the ground until she stumbled and slumped to the side before sitting back up again. She didn't move from there so I bought food to her, but she wouldn't eat.
I then tried water, again no response. I thought perhaps her feathers on her head were too long (they come over her eyes quite a bit now, she's my fluffiest bird) so I cut them around the eyes a bit which was easy since she just sat there instead of moving. I then tried again with food and water but nothing. She couldn't walk, she was just so hesitant to move and her head is constantly looking down and she often has her eyes closed.
She's quite a vocal bird too but she's barley even chirping, what's wrong with her?

 

[Chickens :)]

Hello. I am very sorry to hear about your bird. Have you noticed any paralisysis in the bird? I find with silkies they are very susceptible to mereks disease if they are not vaccinated. I had a chicken like yours the only difference was that she was 18 weeks old who physically couldn’t move and became paralysed and would barely eat or drink at all. Maybe your bird is unable to walk because of paralysis. Check her eyes as well. If there is a light blue colour around her iris that is a sign of mereks disease. Keep an eye on her and definitely iscolate her because if it is mereks disease your other birds could also contract the disease.

Once again I am sorry to hear this about your chicken and best of luck with her

 

[Newy]

I would stay away from veg. scraps that included onion ends. As most ppl. know avoid onion garlic for cats as kills them in few days acquiring Heinz Body Anaemia, (incurable no antidote) blood cells debride themselves. Few yrs. ago when I had chooks. I gave 1 chopped garlic taking outside advice for worm precaution. Became standing, eyes closed, sick. Avian Vet, a mystery, no change, euthanaze after 3 days another bird vet. In later yrs. on learning of the deadly consequences of garlic/onion, I believe garlic I gave killed it, also lacking the proper enzyme to process it. Cats, dogs, chooks I believe none can have it without fatality. Garlic is added to a lot of chook mixes. I notice eg.Suburban chooks spice mix (tumeric/garlic) is no longer for sale. Wondee why. Even Backyard Poultry say give garlic as anti-wormer. I believe vets don't suspect garlic in formulas. So often I'm reading 'chooks dying, why? Those we trust knowledgable impress constantly, chooks can experience Many diseases. I'm thinking there's a more simple explanation. Check Ingredients on packs on website.

 

[Shadrach]

Did you feed her chick starter food?
A sunken head, lack of appetite, eyes closed and head withdrawn into the neck could be Coccidiosis. If no one comes up with a better answer I would try giving her Corid or similar.

 

[D0DG3RR]

Hello. I am very sorry to hear about your bird. Have you noticed any paralisysis in the bird? I find with silkies they are very susceptible to mereks disease if they are not vaccinated. I had a chicken like yours the only difference was that she was 18 weeks old who physically couldn’t move and became paralysed and would barely eat or drink at all. Maybe your bird is unable to walk because of paralysis. Check her eyes as well. If there is a light blue colour around her iris that is a sign of mereks disease. Keep an eye on her and definitely iscolate her because if it is mereks disease your other birds could also contract the disease.

Once again I am sorry to hear this about your chicken and best of luck with her

She doesnt seem to be paralysed, she just isn't moving around but she will move a little if I pick her up and put her down but im trying to avoid upsetting her. I checked her eyes and they're the usual brown with no hints of blue anywhere. I'm really worried about her her poo is white and runny as well

 

[D0DG3RR]

* UPDATE * I just checked her over and she has lice. None of my birds have had this before but we just got a new hen house. I always mite the houses but forgot to do this one and now she seems to have them what mites would cause this? I treated her with mite powder and treated the hen house aswell as my other birds. Hoping she'll be better soon

 

[coach723]

An infestation of lice or mites can cause anemia and can severely weaken a bird. It's also possible that she has another condition that weakened her and made her attractive to the lice/mites, it often happens that a sick bird will also have lice/mites. So treat her, and the coop, with an effective product, monitor her for improvement, if you have some poultry nutri drench give some of that to give her a boost.
https://the-chicken-chick.com/poultry-lice-and-mites-identification/

 

[D0DG3RR]

An infestation of lice or mites can cause anemia and can severely weaken a bird. It's also possible that she has another condition that weakened her and made her attractive to the lice/mites, it often happens that a sick bird will also have lice/mites. So treat her, and the coop, with an effective product, monitor her for improvement, if you have some poultry nutri drench give some of that to give her a boost.
https://the-chicken-chick.com/poultry-lice-and-mites-identification/

I just fed her water with apple cider vinegar through a syringe and put chick crumb in her beak which she thankfully ate. She seems really skinny, she's always been a small bird but shes a lot lighter and bonier than she was yesterday hoping if i feed her every few hours she'll make it, she seemed a bit stronger after the water and crumb

 

[coach723]

Try mixing her feed with a bit of water to make a mash, most birds like this, and it will help with hydration. You can also offer some scrambled/cooked egg, or canned tuna to see if she will eat that. Nutri drench has vitamins and is made to be quickly absorbed and can be helpful with weak or sick birds, it gives them a bit of energy boost and can help with appetite. I don't see your location in your profile, but it's widely available in the US.

 

[D0DG3RR]

I

Try mixing her feed with a bit of water to make a mash, most birds like this, and it will help with hydration. You can also offer some scrambled/cooked egg, or canned tuna to see if she will eat that. Nutri drench has vitamins and is made to be quickly absorbed and can be helpful with weak or sick birds, it gives them a bit of energy boost and can help with appetite. I don't see your location in your profile, but it's widely available in the US.
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I'm in the uk I'll try to find something similar and I'll definitely give the other things a shot! Thank you