Hello from Herriman, Utah! Thank you for reading. I humbly need your experience & knowledge.
We got our first silkie a month ago from another local who said she was being picked on by other hens and didn't seem to be getting enough food... Quickly I noticed she was "different" in a worrisome way...
1) What type of bird, age and weight (does the chicken seem or feel lighter or thinner than the others.)
Bearded blue splash silkie, approx 1.5 yrs, weight? (new to bantams, definitely lighter than non-bantams)
2) What is the behavior, exactly.
Overall, she simply seems weak. specifically:
1. Her bum stays very messy. Previous owner cut a lot of fluff/feathers away so it's pretty clear around the vent, even so the feathers all around (below) it are always really dirty. She frequently nibbles to clean, but it doesn't seem to help.
2. She smells. Sweetish + icky socks that came off after being on sweaty feet too long. Seems stronger around her vent; I think self-cleaning spreads it across her "fur" & I've noticed her whiteness getting brownish/yellowish over the weeks since she came to use having been freshly bathed.
3. Doesn't lay eggs. No chicken squat.
4. Low energy; she doesn't move quick. She gets around, but her walk is a bit of a waddle. If I pull her by her tail feathers she finally exerts herself, flaps wings, squawks. Otherwise all the previous, and beyond docile. Not until about a week ago did I even see her scratch dirt with her feet, she never did. Now she does only once in a while, and it's brief & feeble.
5. No dirt baths ever.
6. She often "misses the target" when pecking for food, and sometimes doesn't even notice food in front of her. I put big wriggling worms in front of her a couple weeks ago and she usually didn't even notice them. Every once in a while (tons of repetition) she would notice one and try and peck it - & almost always miss
. Even with hair back in a "pony tail." Today I gave her peanut butter, she didn't know it was food. I pecked at it with my finger and actually got her attention, she took a peck but didn't do more. She pecks weed leafs and often gets her target, but sometimes misses. This behavior may be improving.
7. Think she had a bit of a sneeze/cough or something when I first got her but I haven't noticed anything for a while. (she was also extremely catatonic (unmoving) at first too.)
* She IS eating her grain mix, drinking, moving around her yard, she'll squawk her funny squawk a little here and there. If you had never had chickens you'd probably think she was normal. But she is just not lively.
3) How long has the bird been exhibiting symptoms?
Since I got her and before, so ??? exactly
4) Are other birds exhibiting the same symptoms?
No, n/a
5) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma.
No
6) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation.
I've only been told she was "picked on" in her previous flock, although I see no de-feathering. I am pretty sure she was in a muddy small run before. I was told she was under-eating.
7) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all.
She eats a great all natural 4-grain from a local breeder. She "ranges" in a large yards which bunches of weeds, grass etc. Always has water and most the time it has a small amount of Vi-tal.
8) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc.
At first I didn't see much, and I think I saw runny poop. Now every time I see it it looks great - solid, dark (pic below.) She seems to poop a lot.
9) What has been the treatment you have administered so far?
Isolation- she is not around other hens - just a couple 2 month old silkie chicks that love snuggling under her at nighttime
Great feed, water + some Vi-tal as mentioned, sunshine, big yard. A pretty ideal set-up I think.
10) What is your intent as far as treatment? For example, do you want to treat completely yourself, or do you need help in stabilizing the bird till you can get to a vet?
More of the same above thinking she'd shake out of it, antibiotic if needed. I'd take her to a vet if really needed, but it doesn't seem major enough right now.
11) If you have a picture of the wound or condition, please post it. It may help.
Pics of her and dirty bum below. I've inspected her a few times - many times around the vent - I see no mites or lice etc. - she looks clean.
12) Describe the housing/bedding in use
Until I clean out an old coop, she is using the ground and long grass. Double fenced area in an urban setting.
Thank you!! (& I can post a HD vid too if it helps...)
1. Part of the chicken yard
2. Miss Chicken Puff Pie. Notice the yellowish fur, wasn't like that a few weeks ago but I think has resulted from unsuccessfully trying to clean her bum.
3. Nighttime with her 2 adopted chicks snuggling under her. Everything I've heard about silkie mommies is so true!
4. Her fresh poop in the middle
5. Her bum. Notice how clearly significant the dirty area is. It's what concerns me most.
6. Her bum Part II
7. Her bum, close up. The vent itself stays clean enough.
We got our first silkie a month ago from another local who said she was being picked on by other hens and didn't seem to be getting enough food... Quickly I noticed she was "different" in a worrisome way...
1) What type of bird, age and weight (does the chicken seem or feel lighter or thinner than the others.)
Bearded blue splash silkie, approx 1.5 yrs, weight? (new to bantams, definitely lighter than non-bantams)
2) What is the behavior, exactly.
Overall, she simply seems weak. specifically:
1. Her bum stays very messy. Previous owner cut a lot of fluff/feathers away so it's pretty clear around the vent, even so the feathers all around (below) it are always really dirty. She frequently nibbles to clean, but it doesn't seem to help.
2. She smells. Sweetish + icky socks that came off after being on sweaty feet too long. Seems stronger around her vent; I think self-cleaning spreads it across her "fur" & I've noticed her whiteness getting brownish/yellowish over the weeks since she came to use having been freshly bathed.
3. Doesn't lay eggs. No chicken squat.
4. Low energy; she doesn't move quick. She gets around, but her walk is a bit of a waddle. If I pull her by her tail feathers she finally exerts herself, flaps wings, squawks. Otherwise all the previous, and beyond docile. Not until about a week ago did I even see her scratch dirt with her feet, she never did. Now she does only once in a while, and it's brief & feeble.
5. No dirt baths ever.
6. She often "misses the target" when pecking for food, and sometimes doesn't even notice food in front of her. I put big wriggling worms in front of her a couple weeks ago and she usually didn't even notice them. Every once in a while (tons of repetition) she would notice one and try and peck it - & almost always miss
. Even with hair back in a "pony tail." Today I gave her peanut butter, she didn't know it was food. I pecked at it with my finger and actually got her attention, she took a peck but didn't do more. She pecks weed leafs and often gets her target, but sometimes misses. This behavior may be improving.7. Think she had a bit of a sneeze/cough or something when I first got her but I haven't noticed anything for a while. (she was also extremely catatonic (unmoving) at first too.)
* She IS eating her grain mix, drinking, moving around her yard, she'll squawk her funny squawk a little here and there. If you had never had chickens you'd probably think she was normal. But she is just not lively.
3) How long has the bird been exhibiting symptoms?
Since I got her and before, so ??? exactly
4) Are other birds exhibiting the same symptoms?
No, n/a
5) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma.
No
6) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation.
I've only been told she was "picked on" in her previous flock, although I see no de-feathering. I am pretty sure she was in a muddy small run before. I was told she was under-eating.
7) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all.
She eats a great all natural 4-grain from a local breeder. She "ranges" in a large yards which bunches of weeds, grass etc. Always has water and most the time it has a small amount of Vi-tal.
8) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc.
At first I didn't see much, and I think I saw runny poop. Now every time I see it it looks great - solid, dark (pic below.) She seems to poop a lot.
9) What has been the treatment you have administered so far?
Isolation- she is not around other hens - just a couple 2 month old silkie chicks that love snuggling under her at nighttime
Great feed, water + some Vi-tal as mentioned, sunshine, big yard. A pretty ideal set-up I think.
10) What is your intent as far as treatment? For example, do you want to treat completely yourself, or do you need help in stabilizing the bird till you can get to a vet?
More of the same above thinking she'd shake out of it, antibiotic if needed. I'd take her to a vet if really needed, but it doesn't seem major enough right now.
11) If you have a picture of the wound or condition, please post it. It may help.
Pics of her and dirty bum below. I've inspected her a few times - many times around the vent - I see no mites or lice etc. - she looks clean.
12) Describe the housing/bedding in use
Until I clean out an old coop, she is using the ground and long grass. Double fenced area in an urban setting.
Thank you!!
(& I can post a HD vid too if it helps...)
1. Part of the chicken yard
2. Miss Chicken Puff Pie. Notice the yellowish fur, wasn't like that a few weeks ago but I think has resulted from unsuccessfully trying to clean her bum.
3. Nighttime with her 2 adopted chicks snuggling under her. Everything I've heard about silkie mommies is so true!
4. Her fresh poop in the middle
5. Her bum. Notice how clearly significant the dirty area is. It's what concerns me most.
6. Her bum Part II
7. Her bum, close up. The vent itself stays clean enough.
