NEED HELP WITH MY BABY SILKIE!!!

[Wendy V]

Can someone PLEASE help me with my baby Silkie???!!! She is about a month old and about 2 nights ago started what seems like gasping for air and is making a squeaking noise when breathing. She also has been sneezing a lot. Her sneezing if often and shoots her around her box. She is in her own box, away from our other chicks. She does not seem to be drinking on her own but have caught her picking up a few gains of food. I am giving her fluids with an eye dropper. She was not very active at all. I heard that grapefruit seed extract is a natural way of treating many infection so I gave her some of that along with vitamins and electrolytes. Nothing really seemed to change except for maybe her energy level. I then started giving her Duramycin-10 last night which was recommended by my local farm supply store. I know its been less than 24 hours, but I was hoping to see some improvement in her breathing today. But there is none. ( Am I just not waiting long enough or am I needing to give her something else? I am trying to avoid taking her to the vet as I have no idea where one would be that knows about chickens. And of course the expense of it is more than I can handle at this time. She is such a little fighter and I so desperately want to help her. PLEASE GIVE ME YOUR ADVICE!!

 

[thebanthams]

Im not an expert, but make sure her bottoms are clean, give her PLAIN yogurt. I dont know if she has some kind of cold? Make sure she is warm but not too hot ! Hope someones knows !

 

[aaabirdman]

Welcome to BYC

 

[NCGrammie]

Welcome, it's so nice to meet you! I'm from NC myself and this year started raising chickens and well... chicken math took over and the addiction began! I hope you enjoy it as much as I do here...I have met many wonderful friends and learned SOOOO much from many of the pros. Jump right on in, you will feel right at home in no time!

P.S. I am Definately no expert, but it sounds like you are doing all the things I would do, It also sounds like she has a cold/respitory infection. Can you put her under a heat lamp to make sure she is warm or bring her inside to keep an eye on her? Im sorry, I couldnt be of more help. Good luck, I hope she gets to feeling better very soon!

 

[Wendy V]

Thank you so much for replying!! I am soooo attached to this little chick, If she were to not make it, She will for sure take a small part of me with her!! She is in the house and she is being VERY babied! ) She is in a smaller box, so I do not have a heat lamp on her as I don't want her getting too hot. I have a lamp over her though with a 60 watt light bulb in it. I started giving her some plain yogurt tonight with a dropper. I hope this will help build her strength. I am trying to research online how much I should be giving her each day and how often. But not really having much luck. If anyone has any ideas about that, I would love to hear!!

 

[sumi]

Hello and welcome to BYC

I've replied to your other thread. Good luck!

 

[Red Barn Farms]

Hello, Welcome to BYC and ...

 

[pharmchickrnmom]

Wendy--continue with fluids, yogurt and the antibiotic. You have to give the antibiotic some time to work. I would give her electrolytes in her water since she isnt drinking. This will help her with energy. Make sure she is warm, her bottom is clear for pooping and her box is clean. You could offer her a little scrambled egg as well. I usually mix it with yogurt to make it easy to get down. If you are feeding her chick feed, you could also mix a little with yogurt as well. As far as amounts to feed is concerned, I usually feed them what they will eat at one time, then take it away and offer it again a little while later. You could also give her baby vitamins without iron either in her water or food. Poly vi sol works well. I use it for all my silkie chicks the first two weeks after hatching. It must be the plain...no iron! I hope your baby makes a full recovery. Keep us posted.

 

[redsoxs]

Hi, Wendy, and welcome to BYC. Sorry I can't offer much more than encouragement. Sounds like others have given you some pretty good advice. I wish you and your silkie the best.

 

[jbirds2012]

i wish you and your chickies the best