Help! I have a traumatized Silkie pullet...

[TwoCrows]

Oh I am so sorry about your baby!!

It is never easy to lose them. I have lost a few over my years too and it is so hard to say goodbye.

I hope your heavy heart heals soon.

 

[AriadneCastro]

Actually, there is something odd going on with my Silkie, I just noticed it today... She is constantly opening her beak as if gagging or yawning. Do chickens yawn or is this another illness, any ideas?

 

[TwoCrows]

Actually, there is something odd going on with my Silkie, I just noticed it today... She is constantly opening her beak as if gagging or yawning. Do chickens yawn or is this another illness, any ideas?

They can do this for a few reasons...most of them are nothing to worry about. They can get a feather stuck in there if they have been grooming themselves and one will get caught in the throat and they will try to yawn it out of there. A seed hull, a thick piece of foliage or pellet can get stuck too. Loud noises like airplanes, thunder and even lawn mowers...some sounds can change the air pressure and they will yawn to pop their ears or the particular noise can vibrate inside the ear and they will yawn.

Usually this yawning is nothing to worry about as long as it clears up within an hour or so. If they are yawning for days on end, something is either really stuck or something is wrong.

Keep us posted!

 

[AriadneCastro]

Thank you, TwoCrows, I feel relieved!! Now that you mention noises, my boyfriend was practicing the bagpipes in the garden at the time, that could have been it. I'll ask him to keep a safety distance in the future!

Here's the fluffball today, during breakfast...

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[TwoCrows]

Thank you, TwoCrows, I feel relieved!! Now that you mention noises, my boyfriend was practicing the bagpipes in the garden at the time, that could have been it. I'll ask him to keep a safety distance in the future!

Here's the fluffball today, during breakfast...

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Awww....she is adorable!!

Oh gosh...bagpipes!! My birds not only would be yawning, but running for the hills!!

I bet it was the bagpipes. LOL

She is a cutie pie!!

 

[AriadneCastro]

UPDATE! Sad news. After all efforts and without apparent reason, I lost my Silkie yesterday. I don't understand. The day before she was alright, ate, drank, and did everything a happy chicken does. In the morning, she was completely lethargic, refused even water and wouldn't stand up. She died before noon, before I could arrange a ride to the vet. This pretty much puts an end to any plans I had for raising a flock, since my other chickens aren't likely to go broody (and stay broody long enough). I'm sad. Very sad...

I couldn't bring myself to write about this yesterday, but still, I wanted to update this post, because you have helped me so much along this bumpy road. I have no soul in my life, except *YOU* chicken freaks in this forum, who understand my worries, get excited with chicken stuff, and I would be totally lost if you weren't there, somewhere, on the other end of the web. Thank you.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I'm so sorry for your loss