At the advise of the 'You should get more chicken' crowd here and for protection of the hens due to losses I got a 'silver duckwing old english banty rooster' and his wife. Really pretty Roo, and both appear clear eyed and healthy. They are additions to the 8 other polish/silkey/and easter egger from 4-6 months. There coop is part of a wood shed with deep litter straw and shavings. ---Nobody pecks much, adding them went smooth, all seems fine.. ---But last week the Roo and his wife seemed slow and hanging back from the chicken yard fooliishness that usually goes on. I picked him up and he shaked as if cold, brought him into the house--with the wife too, and they spent a couple of hours in the living room on the footstool by the woodstove. They did not move much wrapped in a towel for a couple hours. Again, good feathers, good poo, clear eyes. ---Then the big wife (you know the kind 5'4", allways cleaning stuff) came home, and I tried to exlain how we needed a pair of inside chickens, that they seemed cold. We have 2 inside dogs, why not 2 inside chickens? All was well till the roo woke up, crowed, and started to perk up and explore the living room. Then she said someting about how me and my cock could both go live in the coop. The pair was fine for the next several days. ----Today again (more the hen this time) was shaking as if cold. It is about 35 degrees on the mountain today and the snow is melting off. ---The coop has a red heat lamp mostly ignored by the rest of them. All the birds look good. These new 2 seem down on the pecking order, but all seem to get along. ----So what can/should I do, if anything. I hate to have these 2 shivering, and hope it is not some start of sickness. They mostly roost with the others (but off on the edge) and the pair seems close. ----I been have put a heat lamp closer to where these two roost. They also spend more coop time than the others--of there free choice. ----Perhaps I should stop picking them up as the shivering/shakes is not visable. ----Do I have a problem here? Should I get a job so I would not notice this as much? -----I am origionally from nothern MN and saw chickens do fine at 20-30 below, so the 15 to 50 above range here in N.C. is nothing. Sweaters for them?
Try giving some vitamins and electrolytes in their water and making sure the water is not getting too cold so they are sure to drink it. Also feed them some high protein food like scrambled eggs at least once a day for 3 days, maybe even some warm oatmeal once a day for a few days. Maybe they are just weakened a little by the weather and that may support them enough without resorting to antibiotics. Seperate them from the others if they don't improve in a few days and make sure they have access to their own food and water. ~Rebecca
So, do you visably see them shaking or is it just when you pick them up? Mine do not shake if you're looking at them, some will shake when we pick them up because they are afraid. Does your pair do or have any of the following symptoms: sneezing, discharge from nose or eyes, runny poo, really foul smelling breath, etc? Maybe it would be a good idea to keep them seperated from your other chickens for a wk or so to keep an eye on them & give them vitamins. But I'm no expert in that we've only had our chickens since the first wk of June, so maybe another more experienced forum member cld lend some better advice than me.
I currently have a little bantam roo living in the house 24/7 and he trembles when I pick him up. I think some chickens just react that way. Oh, and about the crowing. I now put him in an animal carrier when he "goes to bed" (roosts on back of a certain chair) and put him in our closet with the door shut. The dark keeps him from crowing in the morning and I go get him about 8:15 and let him out. Works great! You ought to try it!
First let me just say inside chickens sounds reasonable to me. I'd let you keep em in there. Second, how long did you have them before the shivering started?
Thanks for the replys. I really think this is related to being cold now. -----I did clean out the coop and added deeper litter (it was pretty clean)-------I take the 2 new birds in the house to warm-up on cold days----------------I tightened up the Silkey house which is a 3 sided box my 2 non-roosting Silkeys sleep in--this is there box in the coop. ---Last night the Roo and his wife were in the Silkey garage/box with Larry, my fat silkey, almost like chicks. Likely a warm place. ----Today was almost 50 and the Roo and his wife spent the day in the chicken yard looking good. Not in and out of the coop as they had tended.- -I figure I should start looking for a new wife that will tolorate a couple indoor chickens. ----I have only had these 2 for a month or less, and they may be from a more heated enviorment, as they are not as thicked feathered as my other summer chickens, and perhaps need a bit more to adapt. -----The shivvering or shaking was not present today when held. I will try to give them some Jacket time to warm and bond to me.---Perhaps I should start looking for a new wife too. -----
If you get lucky, your pair will find the sillkie pile and join in. I have two BIG roos a cochin and a jersey giant that have found the silkie pile. Someitimes I can hardly make them out. I have put my hand in the pile (with great clucking I might add) and the warmth is almost unbelievable.
