Lethargic silkie hen

[coryleslie]

I have a six month old silkie hen who laid her first egg this am. I noticed her just laying in the yard on her side. Her neck looked unnaturally tipped back. She can’t seem to hold it up or stand. She almost seems to be having seizures. She just jumped up and fell on her side and liquid came shooting out her backside. I think she’s dying. Any ideas how to help her?

 

[Eggcessive]

Sorry about your pullet. Can you bring her in where you can separate and observe her? Could she have been injured by another chicken in the yard? Is she awake and alert? If she is alert enough, offer her sips of water with a little sugar. Prop her up with rolled towels. Consider making a sling if she becomes able to sit up. Do not give water if she cannot swallow. Was she vaccinated for anything, such as Mareks? Is there any place that she might have eaten mold, compost, or something poison?

 

[coryleslie]

Sorry about your pullet. Can you bring her in where you can separate and observe her? Could she have been injured by another chicken in the yard? Is she awake and alert? If she is alert enough, offer her sips of water with a little sugar. Prop her up with rolled towels. Consider making a sling if she becomes able to sit up. Do not give water if she cannot swallow. Was she vaccinated for anything, such as Mareks? Is there any place that she might have eaten mold, compost, or something poison?

Thanks for the reply! She’s currently on my lap. Our 6 month old rooster has been aggressive with her. He pecked her on the head twice today and yanked feathers out. I’ve already made a bed for her and will keep her with me. She’s currently calm and sleepy, but if she gets startled, she tries to fly out of my lap. She just falls over, though. I’ve been using a syringe to give her sugar water. She free ranges in the yard with the other 6 month old silkies. She gets laying feed and scratch. We haven’t fed her any scraps recently though we do the other chickens. TBH she seems to be bullied by the others in her coop and strays away from them in the yard.

 

[coryleslie]

 

[Eggcessive]

I would get some human vitamin E 400 IU softgels from Walmart or a drug store, and give 1 daily. She can swallow it or you can puncture it and give it with a syringe or dropper. Scrambled egg and moistened chicken feed would be good for her. I hope that she recovers from her injuries. Is the rooster also a silkie?

 

[coryleslie]

I would get some human vitamin E 400 IU softgels from Walmart or a drug store, and give 1 daily. She can swallow it or you can puncture it and give it with a syringe or dropper. Scrambled egg and moistened chicken feed would be good for her. I hope that she recovers from her injuries. Is the rooster also a silkie?

Thanks so much. I just asked my mom to grab some vitamin E. I’ll try the eggs and wet feed too. And yes it was a silkie roo. He’s the same age and very hormonal. He wants to mate the hens and keeps grabbing hold of their heads and doing the dance —while facing them instead of climbing on their backs. It’s been two weeks of that.