HELP, Sick(?) Silkie

[Pootersmama]

I need another bit of help. My poor baby is getting worse, she is twisted up even worse. I started the Poly- Vi-Flor vitamins, vit e, electrolytes and increase her protein with yogurt and egg I am trying for twice a day she usually only eats it in the morning. We made sure she was eating and drinking even if we had to do it by hand. The next day she was better head just alittle crooked. Today she is very crooked, sleepier than usual, having difficulty eating and drinking because of the head (we have helped her - she did get food and water today). I want to give her duramycin 10 for a few days, incase it is an inner ear infection. My question is this...this is what I have for dosing...

if it's the Duramycin 10 that is shown in the link:

OK here's the actual dosage math for this brand at 10g per 6.4 ounce package.

OK according to this package, they want you to dose at about 500mg - 800mg per gallon of water for chickens. (http://www.durvet.com/L/119_L.pdf )
They state that the dosage will depend on the age of the bird (chicks get weaker strength), and how much they'll drink (birds that drink a lot get a little weaker strength).

10g = 10,000 mg. There are 10 grams in the package at 6.4 ounces.

Adults: 10,000 mg divided by 800mg = 12 doses per package. 12 doses = 6.4 ounces. 6.4/12 = 0.54 ounce per serving. We'll say 1/2 ounce per serving. 1/2 ounce = 3 teaspoons (kitchen measure spoon)
******Babies: 10,000mg/800mg = 20 doses per package. 6.4 ounces/20 servings = 0.32 ounce per serving. 0.32 ounces = 2 teaspoons (kitchen measuring spoon)*******

the above is courtesy of a post from 7/09 in the site here. I can do the 2 teaspoon, but in what amount of water....she will not drink 1 gallon of water, can I mix it and give it in a smaller amount of water, can I give it to her in a syringe in divided doses throughout the day? She is small about 12-14 weeks and about 3-4 pounds.

 

[Fox]

I am having the same trouble with my Partridge Silkie. I noticed she sort of bobbed her head funny, but I thought she is just hurrying around the field.. then later she started turning her head to the side. I wondered if she was blind in one eye and turned her head to see where she was going. We thought a dose of vitamins woundn't hurt... we did that for two days, but today she was even worse. She had trouble getting into her coop. It seemed if she had to step over something it really through her off and her neck bent toward her body worse and she would start to go in a circle. I carried her in and set her down. I hoped she would settle for the night. Is it best to isolate them and feed them or continue to let her free range with the rest of the chickens. I see her out pecking, but if this gets worse... then what? It is frustrating when you want to help and you are not sure what to do.

 

[chickenzoo]

It often gets worse before it gets better..... she has another post where hers is improving...https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=391232.... Keep up the Vitamins, vitamin e and easy food to eat. Keep in a quiet , less stress inviroment,as stress or excitement often triggers it worse for some reason...

 

[Fox]

Quote:
Thanks so much... I will try to move her tomorrow to a more quiet place.

 

[drumstick diva]

My friend has similiar trouble with her silky roo, she got him to take the vitamins by dripping it onto slicked grapes. He loved them. He never lost his appetite tho, just had trouble getting to food since his head would drop to his feet. He did very well with hand feeding. I wonder if Peaches got a head injury from your roo, they grab for the back of head/neck. It doesn't take much for silkies to get injured due to vaulted skulls - which are actually open(no bone structure) at the top.

My friend got so fed up she went to seramas.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Wryneck, crookneck, stargazing and even a few other names that I don't recall right now. All are more or less the same thing, named for the symptom, not the cause of it. Cause can be head injury (brain swelling), inner ear balance, illness that causes either, illness that causes partial paralysis, and probably more than I am thinking of off the top of my head. Treat symptomatically; if bacterial illness is suspected, an antibiotic may be in order.

 

[Fox]

Quote:
I don't suspect a bacterial illness.... no others are sick at all. It is possible she injured her head. But I will treat with vitamins and make sure she is eating and drinking and hope for the best. I hate to see her like this.

 

[Pootersmama]

Mine is slowing imporving, we are seeing a daily difference. She is still twisted and she seems to have a bigger probem when she is excited or stressed. We are continuing with the vitamins and keeping her protein intake up, I am stopping the antibiotic (she has been on for a week). She is still segregated (but in the yard) and has times out with the others under close supervision. We continue to moniter her eating and drinking as well as the poop (who would have thought). It has been 2 weeks and I think she may be OK. I do wonder though about what happens if she never straightens all the way. Her neck is like a "C". She is quite small and is picked on.

 

[joebryant]

This is Joe Bryant's wife, Anne. I just took our little (unnamed) splash Silkie with these symptoms to the vet. She has diagnosed an ear infection. She decided this by shining a light into the Silkie's eyes and seeing that they move back and forth.

We will be giving the Silkie SMZ (same as Bactrin for adults) twice a day: .12 ml with a syringe. She will also get berry-flavored Gatorade for electrolytes. I'm to feed her five times a day. She is taking mealworms eagerly, so that's what it will be, at least at first. Once a day I am to squeeze Vitamin E from a gel onto the mealworms.

It's OK to let her stay with the others as long as they aren't harassing her, which they aren't.

Should know by Monday if this is going to work.

Anne

P.S. I'm not as mean as Joe says.

 

[Pootersmama]

Well good news. Peaches is completely better. She is back with the group, eating and drinking, in and out of the henhouse by herself. We are comtinuing with the viatmins and increased protein. I stopped the antibiotics a few weeks ago.