new silkie - is she sick? PICS

[erindubb]

Perhaps I am a sucker or too impulsive - but I came home from the market with a silkie yesterday. I've always loved them and the very nice farmer told me that she was hatched last June or July. So, She is about 1.5 years old. They have 25 regular sized chickens and 16 silkies. So, he is selling a few because they have too many.

So, I bought her. I love her. But, the market was crazy and now that I got her home and took a good look at her I am afraid to introduce her to my other four birds. What do you guys think I should do? One of her eyes is gloopy / crusty. I thought she was just dirty - because she kind of smells like cat pee. Do silkies just smell different because of their feathers? I am going to give her a bath today....so we will see if that helps. Here are pics of her. He said she was "blue" but I am not sure if all that tan coloring is just dirt or her feather color. Also, do silkies have regular wing feathers? Here is a pic of her wings. She is the SWEETEST chicken ever.

wing feathers

gloopy eye

clean eye

 

[erindubb]

oh my goodness - i just am getting so nervous. I have been reading these boards for hours and I hope I haven't given some scary disease to the rest of my chickens because I am so dumb and brought the silkie home. I hope she's not really sick - just dirty? How can I know?

 

[erindubb]

I have four other birds and they "met" her yesterday for about 45 minutes outside. But, other than that - she has been in a plastic dog crate in the coop - but away from the other four. The other four I have had since they were fluff balls - so I know they aren't sick. NOW I AM FREAKING OUT because what if I have gotten them all sick. But, they are still not really touching her.....can they get sick just from the dog crate being in the coop? AHHH. I am so mad at myself for bringing this silkie home. But, I do love her.

 

[muddyhorse]

she may just have a bit of an upper respiratory infection. mix a little terramycin in her water. keep her separate for 2 weeks. she is blue and yes they can have regular wing feathers more shredded is more desirable for a show bird but for a pet she is cute.

 

[acid_chipmunk]

First, you should ALWAYS quarantine new birds, over baby chick age, for at least 4 weeks before introducing them to your other birds.

As for the goopy eye, I would put her on Tylan immediatly for it. Also, if you can find some stuff called PZPuffer, it is a puffed powder that you can put right on their eye to heal it. You can also use terramyacin cream on it.

She has some blue color to her, but looks to be mixed with buff or partridge. Either that or she just has a lot of leakage in her color.

I hope that she gets better for you and please keep her away from the rest of your flock for 4 weeks.

 

[erindubb]

Thank you guys so much - so I am going to Tractor Supply store today....
What do I need to get?
Tylan?
PZPuffer?
terramyacin cream?
terramycin in her water?

It is all a little confusing.

So, I need to keep her quarantined for four weeks. She is in a dog crate in the coop right now - does that mean she is not quaratined or that she is quaratined? It that good enough? Or not? They all met her yesterday by pecking around the yard together - so that is obviously not quaratined. Have I screwed myself?

 

[acid_chipmunk]

Quote:
They should have Tylan at TSC. Get the 50 (small bottle), not the big bottle. They may not have the puffer, I got it at Southern States in MD and have never seen it at TSC. They should have the terramyacin cream, tho. If you use the Tylan, don't use the terramyacin in her water. Give her the Tylan by mouth, two drops, two to three times a day.

No, if you have her in the coop, she is not quarantined. She needs to be kept totally away from your flock. In different "air space" if you will.

I would watch the rest and make sure they don't show any symptoms and if they do, start them on the meds, too.

ETA: The puffer is for dogs and cats, so it may be in that section at TSC.

 

[erindubb]

OH my gosh....acid chipmunk....thank you so much for being so helpful.
I have new questions....of course.
I went to TSC and they didn't have
Tylan or PZPuffer or terramyacin cream. boo
But they did have terramycin to put in her water. I am going out there as soon as the kids are down for naps and I am going to give the silkie a bath with instructions I saw here. Then I am going to set her up in a nice box in the garage with the yellow water in a dish. It says to measure by Milliliters.....I am not really sure how to do that. The TSC people just said to sprinkle some in the water until it was yellow. How often and how long should I do this? Will it help even though I don't have the other things on the list?
The TSC guys also said to put it in the other chickens water too.....just in case. Hummm? Can I eat the eggs of chickens that have had the anitibiotics? Should I give it to healthy chickens that have been around the sick one?
Soo sorry for all the questions. I need a lot of help.

 

[WoodlandWoman]

After you give her a bath, can you keep her in the house until she is dry, so she stays warmer? Or just wait to bathe her? Keeping sick birds warm is very important and a wet bird loses it's insulation and gets chilled. That could make her worse, especially if it's a generalized infection like a respiratory infection and not local infection that's confined to just the eye.

She is adorable. I would love her already, too!

 

[acid_chipmunk]

Quote:
The terramyacin in her water will be fine. I wouldn't put it in the others unless you see illness in them. I am not a fan of medicating when there is nothing wrong.

As for the bath, go ahead and give her one, inside and then blow dry her with a hair dryer. This will take quite a while and be sure not to take her back outside until she is TOTALLY dry.