Showgirl personality question

[laughingllama75]

Ok, so.....my showgirl hen is so sweet....and quiet. Really quiet. I had her in a pen with a showgirl roo and a silkie roo, but they are all young and she hasn't started laying yet. Well, this last week, I keep finding her in the corner by herself-so I thought she was maybe getting picked on. I moved her to a pen by herself, and she still just sits in the corner. if I go to pick her up or feed/water her, she comes to life, and squaks a little and acts animated. but other than that......she "stands still like a dummy" as my nephew says.

Is this normal? all my other chicken act like normal chickens. hmm. She has a really large pouf, but can see as far as I can tell (I have moved the food and she goes right to it). Any ideas? She doesn't seem sick at all, and I did let her out in the general population just to "see what she would do". I decided againnst it, as I didn't want her wandering off as most of the others are free range right now.

the showgirl roo does not act like this. he is friendly, but he does move around a lot.

 

[allaboutdemchicks]

My showgirl hen is very "chicken" like. More so than most of my other Silkies.


Something is not right with your little girl. The list of problems that it could be is a mile long. Maybe parasites (internal or external) that is making her lithargic. Check her crop to see if she is eating, and feel for muscle tone....to see if she is losing weight. Look closely for a runny nose and swelling which is a sign of respiratory problems (some Silkies have so much feathering that you really have to look close) Also, it wouldn't hurt to give her a little feather trim, if indeed there is the question of sight problems. And, one more thing, it wouldn't hurt to introduce vitamins vitamins in her diet, just in case.

I hope your Showgirl pullet is up with the Showgirl cockeral soon!!


Keep us posted.


Claudia

 

[laughingllama75]

She does not have any visible parasites, and she was wormed twice with ivomec (she hatched in April).
She seems in good body condition, she eats fine and drinks too.
I give all my birds vitamins in thier food (Nutri-Balancer) so I don't think it is that.
She has no nasal discharge or odd coloring, and has normal stool.

I really hope she is not sick. She is such a sweet little thing, but she does seem off. I will keep an eye on her, like I said she is seperate and she does sing to me, when I go in she talks and I do let her out to stretch her legs and she will walk around, but just not normal like. Oh Poo! I hope she makes it. I fear it is something internal (organs that are not normal or something?) and I wont be able to help her.
I will try to get a picture later.

Oh, I will try the "haircut" too. Anything is worth a shot to help my little girl.

 

[allaboutdemchicks]

It sounds like you are doing all the right things for her care. Great job!! Oh, we would love to see her, please send pictures!

The Showgirls are very special. You either love them, or hate them. I, like you, love their appearance....a well proportioned crest on a hen makes her look so elegant. Something different in a mass of white!

I have noticed that all my showgirls are more skidish than my regular silkies, perfering not to be handled. (I think that comes from the turken.) That is why I say mine are more "chicken like" than my other Silkies.

 

[laughingllama75]

I just came in from giving Bonzai a hairdoo. LOL. she was more freaked at the scissors coming at her, than the actual cutting. Maybe she was afraid I would mistake her for a rooster. LOL!

I will get some pics later, gotta go to a funeral this morning and hubby is more ready than I am (and THAT'S a FIRST!!!!).

 

[laughingllama75]

Ok, so NOT a good picture at all.......but, I just wanted to let you guys know, I let her out with my "free range" chickens (with the snow, they are free ranging in my barn, LOL!). And she is doing awesome! She just wanted to be free.....not in a pen. She is not going to be happy come spring time, when i want to breed her but she is not even laying yet (8 months old). here she is, scratching around.