9-month silkie won't move, might have had accident?

remarkikkin

In the Brooder
10 Years
Jul 10, 2009
18
0
22
Berkeley, CA
Please help with my silkie. I've only been keeping chickens for 9 months and this is our first taste of something amiss.

1) What type of bird , age and weight: White Bantam Silkie, 9 months old, 2-3 lbs.

2) What is the behavior, exactly: She's been laying in her nest box not moving for the past hour, not interested in treats I throw in the pen, breathing and she'll lift her tail feathers and make a tiny noise if I touch her. I haven't picked her up and put her on her feet to see if she'll stand and walk yet. I kind of wanted to leave her alone for a bit to see if she would get up on her own. I know someone will ask - she lays nearly every day and laid yesterday but not today yet.

3) How long has the bird been exhibiting symptoms?: About an hour - she was fine just before (see below for possible incident)

4) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma: No

5) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation: We have a 5-year-old next door neighbor who likes to play with the birds and we carried three of them over to her yard to eat their clovers (they've eradicated mine completely!). The neighbor girl carried the silkie but she's very good with her and knows how to hold them carefully. We set them down in the neighbor's yard for about 30 minutes while we watched them. She was poking around and seemed fine. There was one incident where the neighbor set her on something about three feet off the ground and she tumbled down, flapping . She stayed upright the whole time and seemed fine afterwards, though I have to admit I didn't look closely. (Yes, the girl was corrected in her behavior). We carried them back and set them in the coop. I threw some clovers in the run that I collected at the neighbor's and noticed the silkie didn't come out. She was sitting in the next box and hasn't moved since. When she's laying an egg she's normally pecking around and more upright. Now she seems like she's really not up on her feet at all.

6) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all: Don't know yet.

7) How does the poop look? Don't know yet.

8) What has been the treatment you have administered so far? Leaving her alone for the time being.

9 ) What is your intent as far as treatment? For example, do you want to treat completely yourself, or do you need help in stabilizing the bird til you can get to a vet? - I will take her to a vet if necessary (and if we can find one in Oakland or Bay Area that will treat a chicken.

11) Describe the housing/bedding in use: Coop is 6 x 3 and run is 6 x 3 but they free range in the backyard about half the day. They eat a laying mix and have free choice oyster shell chips.
 
I agree with Shay, from what you have described...she sounds like she wants to hatch some eggs and doesn't want you interfering with her nest.
 
I was thinking broody also.
jumpy.gif
 
is she flat as a pancake in the nest. if so congrats you have a broody. If you scoop herup and bring her elsewhere she should get up in a few minutes time and start walking around. try trowing her some scratch if she eats and walks pecking like normal than she is fine just wants to be a momma.
 
She may be broody, but an hour doesn't really sound unusual to me- I have some birds that will just keep sitting until I move them, long after they have lain an egg, while I've noticed others will just hang out in the nest for no particular reason.

I would pick her up (gingerly, in case) and set her gently in front of the nest box.

If she's going broody, she'll bolt back in after a minute or so.

If she's hurt, she'll react in a way that will show you this.

If she's just hanging out, she'll probably get up and walk away.

At any rate, it's something where you should make determination sooner rather than later. Post back here and let us know.
 
she sounds broody to me, but i am no expert. when mine went broody i could move them off the nest and they would just sit there at first. week or so into there sitting they would get up and go right back to the eggs. silkies get broody they act strange, aslo depends on the bird how they will act at first.....
 
You guys are the best!!!!

I went back out there and moved her out of the coop into the grass and, what do you know, she perked right up and started pecking, the little rascal! Phew! I was sure our sweet little neighbor loved her a little too roughly. Thank goodness.

Thanks again!
Nicole
 
I have 3 ladie silkies and they have been sitting for a week. No eggs and the same response. I also have 13 other silkies just normal. I also don't know what to do. I do not think this is broody.
 

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom