Normal for Silkies?

[ameliadanielle]

Is this normal for Silkies to have earlobes that are funny colored? At first I attempted to clean him off, it didn't come off. Then I thought it may be a fungus. I've tried looking all over the internet and now I've seen a wide range of silkie earlobe colors. Not any closeups though. Does he seem to be normal or is there something wrong with him. We just got a silkie trio on Friday night and when they got here they looked so pitiful I was just sure they were all sick and needed to be put down. I gave them some apple cider vinegar water and good food. Saturday morning they looked much better despite the heat outside, and today our rooster has been crowing and one of the hens laid an egg. So at first I thought they were sick and now I'm not so sure. The white hen does have deformed feet. Other than that I'm not sure anything is wrong with them now.

What should I look for as far as illness with silkies?

 

[GitaBooks]

Silkies vary a lot. They normally have blue earlobes, but silkies come in different types, hybrids and colors.
It actually looks kind of cool!

Good luck with your silkies!

 

[ameliadanielle]

If I saw that on another chicken, I would immediately think there was a problem as I did with this guy. I didn't get any responses in the illness and emergency forum. I've been trying to find out if it really was an issue. They look a little ragged to me but they are much improved versus how they were their first night here.

They are still having intermittent runny poops but all of my chickens are doing that. heat index is over 100 so they're all drinking tons of water.

These guys are in quarantine. If I'm going to treat them for anything now would be the week as we're going on vacation before school starts and I don't want to pass off doctoring them on the house sitter. I'm just trying to figure out if I should put something on the roosters ears or not, or if I should give antibiotics because of the runny poop.

 

[GitaBooks]

I don't think the rooster has any disease, but you should try worming and dusting them, as parasites take a toll on any bird. I think runny droppings are normal for birds that are stressed, and are normal for birds during warm weather. As long as they aren't losing weight, becoming lethargic or losing their appetite they should be okay.

I'm glad you are helping them!

 

[ameliadanielle]

We had heat advisory warnings on Friday, the day we brought them home. They looked so lethargic and sick. It may have been the heat plus riding in a car plus being in a strange place. I just love my chickens and I didn't want my current flock to catch anything. We have our vacation coming up too, and we had planned on waiting until we got home to get silkies, but the opportunity presented itself beforehand.

 

[GitaBooks]

I hope this helps: http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/04/beat-heat-helping-chickens-survive-high.html

 

[ameliadanielle]

The chickens in the backyard have shade trees and plenty of open sided sunshades. They also have the pig puddle. Which is a large water hole that the pig keeps expanding. I dumped ice cubes in it for them today. They all enjoyed. I've been putting ice in the silkies water too. They all have shade all day long. South Georgia heat can be brutal. We never have to worry about cold because we only have to worry about freezing temperatures for a week or less a year. All our shelters are designed to let the breeze through and provide shade. Our chickens love wading into the pools and water holes for the pig.

 

[GitaBooks]

I love pigs! What kind do you have?

 

[ameliadanielle]

We have a pot belly. We raised some, and had planned on eating them. Except we butchered one and neither of us ever wanted to do it again. We even gave the meat away. So collecting eggs is more our speed. Lol. We'll just fill the freezer during deer season. The one guy we have left is castrated. The mama pig raised the piglets with our flock of chickens. He hangs out with the chickens all day. Lol. The chickens were babies and we had just put them in the backyard when she gave birth. So they ended up all living together.

 

[ameliadanielle]

Well I got brave enough to pick him up. We have a fear of fungus around here since my daughter picked it up from somewhere when she was 3 and the clinic said it was a viral rash and prescribed steroids. I don't know if you know what steroids do to ringworm... everyone and everything in the house covered head to toe. So I hadn't touched him yet. I picked him up and had a good look and now I do feel much better. It appears to be his coloring. No flaking or scaling. He has a yellow gooey spot on one ear but honestly that could be anything. I also looked him over and his skin looks very healthy. Didn't see any problems with his feathers. I've got to get my husband to help with the hens. The rooster is very calm and sweet. The hens are kinda wild. they went nuts flapping their wings every time I tried to pick them up. I'll need help while I inspect them.