New silkie pullet doesn't "do anything"

[jchahboune]

For as long as I've had chickens, I've wanted a silkie. I finally got one a few days ago...a 7 month old black pullet I named "Luna". I brought her home along with three 9 week old pullets from the same breeder (different breeds), bathed her, and put her in our new coop/run. I'm not sure what I expected, but Luna doesn't walk around, interact and barely eats. I let her freerange in my backyard with the others for an hour yesterday and she just sat there the entire time, making cute little noises. In fact, wherever I "put her" she stays...she doesn't walk around, forage, move towards food and water...anything. I've seen her eat and drink a little, but i had to set it right in front of her and it took her a long time to test it out (an hour?). Today, I even tried to hand-feed her treats but she showed no interest. I was thinking it was maybe a "vision" problem so I trimmed the fluff around her eyes so that she could see, but nothing has changed. Her original owner kept her with three other silkies in a wire-bottomed brooder and that's all she's ever known. Will she "snap out of it" and become more mobile/interactive with time? Other posters have mentioned that Silkies aren't great foragers, but she barely even walks around! She just sits and nods off, perking up when she hears a noise. Is this normal?

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

No, that's not normal. But, if you've given her a hair cut, she should snap out of it. When you trimmed her crest, did you also get the muffs too (I'm assuming she's bearded, the muffs are like "cheek" feathers just below their eyes)? I find that the muffs seem to impede vision more than the crest.
I've also seen birds that thrived in their previous home, and then wasted away to nearly nothing with new owners. I think its because they knew where the feed and water was with the old owners, then they're lost in the new place. You may have to trim her up again, but if she can see, she should get active.

 

[jchahboune]

Thanks for your response. She seems to be perking up a little. When I move her outside to free range with the others (closely supervised, of course), she mostly just sits there. In other words, she's definately not a forager. I think I'm just going to have to accept that she's not the "brightest bulb" in my flock, but she is very sweet and motherly to the other pullets who are 8-12 weeks old AND she was fine when I introduced a 7 month Easter Egger to the flock. If I could, I'd just bring her to work and have her sit in my lap or desk all day. She's so soft and I love the noises she makes.

 

[Wishapup]

Thanks for your response. She seems to be perking up a little. When I move her outside to free range with the others (closely supervised, of course), she mostly just sits there. In other words, she's definately not a forager. I think I'm just going to have to accept that she's not the "brightest bulb" in my flock, but she is very sweet and motherly to the other pullets who are 8-12 weeks old AND she was fine when I introduced a 7 month Easter Egger to the flock. If I could, I'd just bring her to work and have her sit in my lap or desk all day. She's so soft and I love the noises she makes.

A long shot, but could she be broody? You say she's making noises...Silkies are notorious for going broody, and I have had pullets go broody that young. On the other hand, she could just be very disoriented.

I would make sure she is eating and drinking and just let her get used to her new environment.

 

[sphinxface]

Aww little fluff! I kinda like the sound of a lazy lap chicken but I hope she's ok, and becomes oriented soon!