Please help....

[Ali1010]

Hi there, I joined this forum a few months back when I was waiting for my chickens in the mail...and 2 months ago they came. All has been amazing, until last wednesday...During the day, my chicks have been going outside into a rabbit hutch (it's very secure, my rabbit used to live outside and never had a problem). However, last wednesday my neighbor's wolf-dog came into my yard and chewed-yes, chewed-my hutch until the bottom fell out. The noise must have scared him, because he's very skittish, however, my chickens got loose. When I found the hutch I was heartbroken, thinking that both had been eaten. Amazingly, my mom found my japenese chick the day after under the house, and we wrote the silkie off for dead since they are always together. However, I put the japenese in a carrier and walked around my yard and within minutes peeps answering my Japenese came from under the porch. So, I found both chicks, HOWEVER: My silkie is sick. But, to what she is sick from I cannot tell. I have combed through pages of common chicken ailments, to no avail. She is limping on one leg, which seems to be getting better day by day. Nothing looks broken, and she does not protest when I gently squeeze her leg. But, she is also have very brown, liquid-y poop. She is still eating and drinking fine, although I put a heat lamp back into their cage and both the silkie and japense have been spending most of their time under the heat lamp, which concerns me because when they were about a month old they didn't need the heat lamp anymore. I really cannot afford to her die on me-there are no bantam chicks until spring almost everywhere, even when they were seperated for a few hours, my japenese went insane, chirping and following ME around.

So if someone could tell me what they think might be wrong with my little Precious (silkie) I would really be greatful <3.

Thanks,
Ali

 

[robin416]

The stress of the attack has probably knocked them both for a loop. Its been several days so I won't recommend putting them on electrolytes but that is something to keep on hand as a just in case. But I would cook up some oatmeal and tempt them with eating some of that, it might be enough to thicken her droppings.

 

[RevaVirginia]

Sounds much like symptoms of a hen of mine that "I think" got into some carrots that had gone bad. I used the molasses treatment you can find under botulism treatment. It flushes them out. Mold under the house maybe? I'm not certain that treatment is harmful or not but I wouldn't guess it is since humans eat it. It's hard to tell since you don't know what has transpired in that time period. Hope your luck continues as it has, just finding them alive.

edit: BTW, the hen I treated and is doing fine now...thanks to many for the advice here.

 

[Chicken Chat]

I agree with robin416. Sounds like stress. They may just need a little TLC for a few days. I would tempt them with chopped greens, maybe some chopped egg or yogurt.

 

[Ali1010]

thanks so much you guys! They haven't had anything except for chicken feed and a few bugs outside when I put them in an x-pen sometimes though so should I just give her a little bit as to not give her a stomach ache, or does it matter?

 

[robin416]

The hardest part will be convincing them that it tastes good. So its going to take some patience on your part in getting them to take the first bite. Make it rather watery, that way if they do at least peck at it they'll get a bit of taste.

Since they have never had anything much in the way of greens I would stay away from those for the time being. No sweets, ie fruit, sugary stuff for now.