Pullet bantam silkie acting sleep, doesn't move around much.

[sabias5]

Hi I got a new Silkie today along with one other bantam. They seemed ok with the other girls despite the others being bigger than them. There was barely any bullying and they seem to have settled down and are sticking to separate areas of the (very large) coop. I am concerned however because my silkie doesn't seem to move around much. When I put her down on the ground she just sits where I put her and doesn't move unless one of the other chickens bullies her or I get very close. She also seemed to be nodding where she was standing. Her head would droop slightly and then snap back up almost as if she was very sleepy and nodding off. I put one of the perches much lower down than usual (About a foot off the ground) and put her on it. She didn't resist or fuss despite being very new and not knowing me. She settled immediately and drifted off to sleep within half an hour. It is still daylight and the other chickens are all up and about still (Except for the other bantam I bought with the silkie who is much more active but seems to have decided to roost when she saw the silkie on the low perch). I know that birds don't show that they are sick unless they are VERY sick so I'm pretty concerned. Could my silkie just be tired after a long stressful day of moving or should I take her back to the farm? ( They have offered to exchange her but I feel mean for trading her in like a broken toy

)

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

i would be concerned. Silkies tend to be more mild mannered, but sleepy could denote illness. First of all, it is very important to quarantine any new birds for at least two weeks, preferably a month, before adding them to your flock. New birds can bring in illness and infect your flock. Secondly, i know many people keep bantams with standard size chickens, but i would never do it, especially with silkies. Silkies are very sensitive to brain injuries and a hard peck on the head could cause neurological problems or even death.

What i would do is separate the silkie. Bring he inside in a hutch or cage where you can watch her carefully. You may want to bring her little friend in with her. Check her poo and see if there is any blood in it. Listlessness, puffed up, droopy wings and tail could indicate coccidiosis. How old is she? Was she fed a medicated feed at her last home?

i'm really sorry she is not doing well. i would not think it is stress from relocation. Bring her inside, give her fresh water, with chicken vitamins if you have them, mashed hard boiled eggs, and a comfortable place to sleep. i hope she gets better soon.

 

[Lacrystol]

Do you think she got a head injury? Silkies don't have a skull on the outside of there head, so basically there brians are underneath the skin and feathers. It's very easy for them to get pecked at on the head and get an injury. if you want to try and keep her, then keep her isolated warm with water and feed. Check to make sure she's eating and drinking, take a look at the poop see if there's any abnormality, also check for lice and mites. It's really hard to notice them since they are black an apparently silkies have black skin to match it.. I would start giving her some polyvisol and if you think she's got a head injury give her some vitamin E. How's her breathing? is she breathing very deeply or about normal? At this point it could be anything. Rule of thumb is to keep the new chicken locked up for about 1 month in case of any diseases.. Plus it gives the others time to greet and meet with them before the pecking begins..

 

[sabias5]

Hi. I only got her today. She is separated from the others but they can see her. I will move her inside straight away. I think I will take her back tomorrow, if she is very vulnerable to head injuries then I wouldn't want her around my big girls. The other bantam (a brahma pullet) seems to be doing fine, the ISA's gave her a few pecks when she first arrived but now seem to be settling (we have lots of room, boxes and perches so they don't really get in each others way). I love silkies but I wont keep one in a place that she could get hurt just because I want one. I'll contact the farm tomorrow let them know she seems to be sick and swap her for a sturdier chicken that can hold its own against the ISA browns.

One other thing. Both new bantams seem very small, even for bantams. When I got them home they were only about 2/3 the size of my silkieXancona bantam. The farm said they were point of lays but they seem to have plenty of growing left. Are silkies and brahmas significantly smaller than other bantams or have the farm given me pullets without letting on? I don't mind I just need to know so I can give them the right food.

Thankyou so much for getting back so quickly I am a complete beginner.

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

Can you take a picture? Folks on here can tell you if you have pullets or full grown bantams. It might be a good idea to take the silkie back. They may be better equipped to deal with any medical issues.

If you're a beginner, this is the best place to be. So much information and helpful people. i learn so much every day on this board. Let us know how things go.

 

[sabias5]

I put the mug in there for scale.

Also can anyone tell what breed the white one at the back is. She's white with black speckles and has furry feet.

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

The white one looks like a bantam light brahma. Here are pictures from feathersite.com:
http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/CGA/Brahma/BRKBrahma.html

They are both adorable. i love the partridge silkie.

That picture with them up on a perch, that is way too high for a silkie, and dangerous if they fall off. Mine can maybe flap up 12", some 18" tops. My heavily crested silkies have trouble with a 1" step. Perhaps part of your silkie's problem is that she can't see. i have one silkie whose crest flops down right over her face. Every so often, maybe 1-2 times a year, i have my husband hold her, then i carefully hold her beak so she doesn't whip her head around and trim the feathers back in front and off her eyes. The poor thing can't even find scratch on the ground when her crest is all grown out.

So how are things going today? Is your silkie looking better or have you decided to take her back?

 

[sabias5]

Good news for the silkie

She seems much more lively today. I kept her and the white one inside last night and they both seem to have perked up a bit. They were both eating loads today and drinking. I trimmed the feathers around the silkies eyes and she's started moving round lots more since. Her feathers were completely covering her eyes from top to bottom back to front so she could only see maybe directly down from her eyes. Every time I went near her I would startle her. She's lots better now. Will keep them inside for a couple of weeks in case they turn out to actually be sick. After that I am going to buy a separate coop for them and let them live outside but with a small entrance to their coop so they can escape the big girls if they need

Thankyou for all the help.