ok, ive just noticed

szy.cpr

In the Brooder
12 Years
May 26, 2007
45
0
32
hertfordshire/england
that my 7 week old silkie is not its self, it is being very quiet and not really walking around much, it is usally quite a energetic bird so im thinking it is sick, none of my other chicks have any of these symptoms and are litrally walking over the top of her, shes eating but not as much as ususal, she had a slight bit of pasting that i have washed off but didnt cover any holes, she hasnt pooped yet so i dont know if thats ok, she is drinking but again not as much as usual.....should i take her out oof the pen away from the others or leave her alone? i have had her on my lap for about an hour and she is just so quite and still, usally she would be chirpping and flapping to get away but shes just sitting there,,, i can not afford to take her to the vet but want to give her as much help as i can, can anyone please advice me on what they think i should do, any advice would be welcome
 
what you are describing is symptomatic of almost every illness...have you had the chicks on med feeder? If not , it might be cocci. Make sure she is drinking and yes do separate and monitor her feed and water intake and any other symptoms and strange poos. I would take a sample in for a faecal to see just what is going on and what meds are going to help.
 
ok, well she is seperate from the others and has been for a couple of hours now, she is not drinking on her own and isnt really feeding either unless i but it right up to her peak, i have been giving her sugar water off of a spoon but she just doesnt seem interested in it, i have also noticed that she hasnt pooped for a few hours now, i had her on my lap for an hour and in her own brooder and the bedding is clean, it must be at least 3 hours since i havent seen any poop from her but it could be longer, she also seems really unsteady on her feet, when i put her down she falls onto her side but gets back up on her own
 
she must drink...dribble some water along her beak to encourage her...electrlytes should be put in if she continues to drink so little...if you do not have that then gatorade will do in a pinch (for rehydration)... offer her free choice yogurt.
 
You might try using a syringe or eyedropper to get water into her. Force her beak open carefully and put the dropper in sideways and squirt a little at a time. I've also used a straw. Just cut it to about 3" and dip it into a glass of water, put you finger over the end and then hold the water filled straw at the tip of the beak and release some water onto it. Works better than a spoon. I agree with getting electrolites into the chick.
 
I would try and get some sort of protein in her ASAP. When Ruth (at 4 weeks old) was found laying on floor of pen she could not or would not eat or drink on her own. I made up watery mixtures of a little milk, egg yolk, water and forced her beak open and dropped it in. She slowly got stronger and would open her mouth. (I know that chickens aren't supposed to have a tolerance for milk so I only used enough to cut the egg yolk and water. Like all illnesses, it struck late at night on a weekend.) Then I switched to a watery mush of dry cat food (wetted and mushed up), egg yolk, cheese. She loved it and started darting and grabbing all pieces of cat food. Today she's much better but still a runt and very much a pet who I separate for feedings. I feed her mostly protein sources and only supplement with chick feed. They can't live very long on water alone, even vitamin water or sugar water. You have to get some protein in her. Good luck.
 
Unfortunatly she had passed away when i got up this morning, but last night when she was trying to poop i noticed that she had a quill coming out of her bum, it was very long and didnt have any feathers on it, im wondering if she has pecked at one of my other chicks and swollowed one of the feathers and it had cause problems going through her, the poop was normal colour but very runny, any ideas:idunno my kids r gutted
 

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