PLEASE HELP MY SILKIE ELVIS

[silkiemommy1013]

HELP please. My Silkie Elvis hasn't been himself lately. He has been drinking water fine, but just isnt interested in his food or even meal worm treats. I gave him some oatmeal and boiled egg last night and he seemed a little more vocal for a bit, but then went and laid back down in his corner. He is our show chicken and stays in out of the cold in our heated garage, and we cover him at night. Could he just be depressed or what else could it be? Try giving him yogurt or baby vitamins w no iron? HIS COMB ISN'T BRIGHT RED RIGHT NOW MORE OF A BURGUNDY . Any advice please and thanks

 

[Eggcessive]

Welcome to BYC. How old is Elvis? When the comb deepens in color or turns blue or gray, it may be that he is not getting enough oxygen to his heart. I have a rooster whose color changes back and forth all the time who is fine, but your guy sounds ill. You could try bringing in another chicken to see if it gets him interested in eating and drinking. Has he been to any shows in the last couple of weeks, where he could have been exposed to something? Is he having droppings or diarrhea? If you have not wormed him, I would use Valbazen or SafeGuard liquid goat wormer to worm him and the others. Chickens do need to get some sunshine for vitamin D, and they like to be with other chickens, at least during the daytime.

 

[JJSS89]

Hmm...agreed minus the deworming. A lot of times sick birds will die from worming

 

[Eggcessive]

But sometimes worms are the root of the illness. If a bird is dehydrated and not drinking, then worming can be harmful. But sometimes a chicken who is lethargic may have a worm load, and worms can prevent food from being absorbed by the intestines. Worms are just one of many possible illnesses (such as coccidiosis, a blocked crop or gizzard, enteritis, or other diseases) that could be the cause. One problem I forgot to mention is to check for mites and lice, since mites can cause anemia and death. Show chickens may pick up illness during shows. Here is a link to read about worms:
http://msucares.com/poultry/diseases/disparas.htm