I think my best Silkie is dying

[racuda]

She is 8 months old and she has always be less active than the rest. I thought it might be because she couldn't see very well because of her crest. A couple of months ago I plucked some feathers around her eyes so she could see better, but it didn't make her more active.

The past few days I've found her in the coop a lot, just standing facing the wall, while the others were out in the run, doing chicken things.

Today she seemed especially lethargic. I took her out of the coop and placed her in the run with the others. I put a handful of candy (scratch) in front of her. She did peck at it, so that was encouraging.

I just now at 9:30 PM went to check on her and she was still in the run in exactly the same spot where I left her about 3 hours earlier. All of the other Silkies had long gone to roost.

She really is nice and I would hate to loose her. Any ideas?

Here she was in better days:

 

[Miss Lydia]

Quote:
Has she been laying? when was the last time? Could be something genetic going on since she has always been slower than your others.

 

[racuda]

I had her in a breeding pen with just her and a rooster for 6 weeks and she never laid an egg so I returned them to the coop. As far as I know she has never laid.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Quote:
which makes me wonder if there is an under lying problem going on here. By 8 months it could be coming out more than before. Possibly something she was born with? only way to know for sure would be a vet who knows poultry, or maybe try vitamins and see if that gives her a boost. poultry vitamins. since she hasn't laid yet though I am thinking this is something internal, maybe genetic? sorry just guesses, but maybe giving you something to check into.