Help!! Some thing is wrong with my silkie named Jorden

[awestphal]

I noticed 2 days ago that my little girl wasn't acting right. I will give some history that may help. I got her last Oct, 2013 from someone on Craigs list. I didn't go on the property, she was placed in a box under a tree so I don't know the kind of enviroment she was kept in. She was in terrible shape. When I opened the box I wasn't even sure she was a silkie. Her feathers were so dirty & matted to her body she looked & smelled terrible & she was under weight.The box was just big enough for her to fit in but not really move around. Poor girl, it was rainy & it took a little over an hour to get to were she lived. I took her out of the box & put her in the cat carrier I brought to take her home in. When I got her home & took her out of the carrier she was so stoic she didn't even try to get away. I had to bathe her in dawn dish soap three times just to get most of the grime off of her. I have had her inside in the house in my living room since. She is in a small animal cage with enough room to move around with wood shaving & straw for bedding. She looks great as all her feather's/fluff has all grown in, even on her feet she has long beautiful feather's. She has been very happy & content being in this cage & has not complained at all. And to top it off she laid her 1st egg a couple months ago. I was a pround mama & almost cried. As you can tell by my story she has been a very happy chick. She has been laying an egg every other day and for the last couple weeks sometimes every day since. The last egg was Sunday morning. I'm worried she is egg bound but I have no idea how to check. Please help!!!!!!!!!!! I love this little girl & she has been such a trooper.

Thanks
Amy

 

[Wyandottes7]

Is she acting any different? Does her abdomen feel unusually hard, or is she walking upright like a penguin? If she seems normal otherwise, there probably isn't a problem. Silkies aren't known for being the greatest layers, and, like all chickens, will occaisonally take breaks. Is she showing any signs of broodiness (puffing up when you touch her, growling, etc)?

 

[Eggcessive]

Silkies are notorious for going broody (wanting to hatch eggs.) The signs are if you take her outside the coop, she will run right back to her nest best, especially if there is an egg or a golf ball in there. To check her for eggbound is to take a rubber glove, lubricate a finger and examine her vent inside.

 

[awestphal]

She isn't walking around, she wants to just lay in one spot. Sometimes when I take the egg out after she has laid it she will act kind of broody but this is different. She isn't eating or drinking much today.
Thanks for your input
Amy

 

[awestphal]

he isn't in a coop, she is in my house in a cage. She is just laying around today and for a couple days. Not eating or drinking much today. I have a friend that is a small animal vet that has chickens and is starting to treat chickens. he is going to take a look at her tonight.
Thanks for your input-
Amy

 

[Suzie]

She is showing signs of being broody....from the not being interested in food nor water...sometimes Silkie's will go into a trance like state...they are very determined to hatch eggs...some of mine would probably have died of starvation had it not been for the fact that they were removed from their setting position and given stimulation to make them aware that they needed to eat and drink...

I hope for her that it is broodiness...she needs to be taken out of her cage and moved around and not let back into her setting position for at least 10 - 20 minutes...she may well perk up and start eating and drinking normally.......

Fingers crossed that it is just being broody that is making her behave in her current manner.

Good luck to you both!

 

[awestphal]

Thanks for you information. I did take her to my vet friend & she palpated to make sure she was not egg bound. She wasn't. What you described could be what's going on with her. I got her out for a while last night & tonight. She perked up tonight & did eat a little when I put her back. I will keep an eye on her & hope she gets past this phase. I care a lot about her & hope she makes it through this issue .

Amy

 

[casportpony]

I would get a baseline weight on her and then weigh her every few days to make sure she isn't losing weight.

-Kathy