can anyone help a new egg here sick silkie going down hill

[mama dixie]

my black silkie is going down hill. it has a bad joint and I started it on duramiacin in its watter. it does not want to eat or drink much. it will only eat soft bread and today I gave it a raw egg as a last ditch attemt to get it to eat. I mixed some medicated chick start with it. it will not eat cooked egg I tried. I have wormed it, and given it coxi meds and I just do not know what to do. there is so much good advice on here but I am just at a loss as what is going on, I may have to take it to the chicken vet but I am just so not rolling in dough, like who is right. My husbend says just cull it and I so dont want to. can anyone help please....

 

[CapricornFarm]

Can you describe the symptoms? When did it start? How old is the chicken?

 

[mama dixie]

thank you so much, we got it in march so it is 5mo. I am unsure if it is boy our girl it has not crowed or layed an egg. I first noticed it staying in a corner and getting pecked on alot. I seperated it and it wants to be in a small carere so it does not move alot. I took it to Wilco to ask for help they were nice we looked it over and it has a swolen joint on I think left leg and there is heat in it. when I first noticed it, it was walking like it was drunk and walking on joints. I wormed it and it got better then went back down hill quick. now it will not eat or drink unless it is like I said soft bread and it ate some of the egg toning with the medicated mixed in I was jumping for Joy when it pecked at the food. I have been soaking bread bits in the watter and duramiacin to get some fluids in it.... any ideas...

 

[CapricornFarm]

How hot is it where you are? She may have more than one issue. Baby aspirin, about half for a small chicken can help with the pain. Vitamins and electrolytes can help with the stress. Vitamin B helps improve appetite.

 

[mama dixie]

it is only about 70 -78 here it is a carrier that is kinda in the sun but it is not in hot sun. I have the baby asprin and will give it half, I have been putting gator aid in the water but I think I will use apple juice instead I have been told they like that alot. how much viatamin b do I give and do I go get the gell tabs I am unsure if I have them or not. I dont want to force feed it but it just is not eating much. was the egg a bad choice tonight? it was a cracked egg and so I just put it in there thinking we would not eat it and it may help it. also I have a question does a boy silkie usualy always have a big comb I have two others that are boys but this one only has a small pea like comb like my one girl silkie. it is funny how you get so attached to them its little black eyes seem so gentle and of corse it is one of my favorits so I really want it to get better. the mean old houdan we have that attacks me when I turn my back is strong and healthy of course I dont want any to be sick but why is it always the sweet gentle ones.

 

[CapricornFarm]

The part about walking on the hocks reminded me of a chicken with heat exhaustion or else the beginning phases of wry neck. Pick up your chicken and see if it feels hotter than normal. If so, i generally dunk them in a tub of water and put them in front of a fan. I have saved a couple that way, if that is her problem. If you have a gel cap of vitamin b, slit it open, and open the beak and squeeze it in. I would also give vitamin e, just in case, it can't hurt. Good luck, sorry your chicken is sick. Try getting fluids in with a dropper or small syringe. the bird needs fluids. Polyvisol without iron is a good general vitamin for birds, it is meant for infants and you get it at the drugstore.

 

[mama dixie]

I will get up early and do the b and the baby asprin and will dip it just to be safe it never really did like to be in the sun like the other little ones. thank you for the advice. how many chickens do you have do you have any silkies? are they less hardy than other breeds, we have had a few one had a hartattack becuse of a racoon one ran off and I was so hopeing this one would do well. the silkies like the cochins are just so easy to turn into pets they like to be held and such so I like them. I just get very attached to them and then they get sick or die and I get all upset so I am wondering if this is just not the breed for us. we did have a horrid time with coxci and lost like half our flock but now I stay on top of it and if I see any looking like they may be even a bit sick I seperate them and put them on meds. my husbend is starting to say we should get rid of all of them becuse they are so much work and when I bring in eggs and say look fresh eggs he says yea and they only cost $20.00 each. we did spend like 600 on vet bills for the birds with the whole coxi thing that is why I am trying to learn as much as I can..

thank you again for your help...

 

[CapricornFarm]

Yeah, I have silkies. Cute little buggers. I have trouble when they are very small but once i get them to about a week old they seem to do OK. I have one pen with whites and one with other colors. I also have lots of large breeds of chickens. You may be able to bring in some money selling hatching eggs online if you have breeds people want. I also hatch a lot of chicks to sell as day olds. Helps with the feed bills. I don't take chickens to the vet, it is just too expensive. I try to doctor them myself. I learned a lot about that raising goats. Now I am learning about chickens. Hope your bird does ok. I would not wait until morning to try and get some fluids into it.

 

[chkn]

What did you worm it with and did you do a 7-10 follow up worming?

 

[chkn]

BTW, I have one in a delicate state that I started feeding soft bread because she wasn't thriving (peritonitis). Now I'm feeding egg yolk like you, left over cooked green beans (she likes canned), chopped grapes, broken up fries, bits of lettuce, tomato, anything she'll like and preferrably fattening! I'm trying to get some weight back on her and it's working, her appetite's improved, she's more confidant, she eats with the rest, though still not enough. Don't know how long it will last. Believe me, if you've got left over mac and cheese, feed her that, they like pretty much what people like. Soft is better though for the sick ones.