Sick broody

[serendipityfarm]

Some advice please...

My Silkie is broody AGAIN. At first I was going to let her hatch some eggs since she has been SOOOO determined, but then she came down w/symptoms of a resp. infection. I have separated her and she is in a cage with a thin layer of shavings and a heat lamp at night. She has to stay separated from the other birds so forcing her outside isn;t going to work. Right now she will "sit" on anything, or nothing at all. If I put her outside the cage, she goes right back in and looks for her eggs (she hasn't had any in a week), so I know she knows they are not there.
One night I left her a little piece of bread and the next morning she was sitting on it!!! Making toast!

Anyway, I did take her to the vet after a few days on Sulmet didn't seem to be helping. SHe is on Amoxi (???) now and the vet took a fecal which came back positive for coccidia. So the whole flock is being treated for that now too. I think this particular bird's recovery would be faster if she would stop brooding, but so far I'm having no luck! I don't have a wire bottom cage so any other suggestions?

~Terry

 

[OregonChickenGal]

I wouldn't even try to break her broodiness at this time, with the other things she has going on. Let her sit on a empty nest. Just try to keep her comfortable, and make sure she eats and drinks. Offer her some scrambled eggs and some yogurt, she needs to keep her strength up, to fight this.

 

[serendipityfarm]

Thanks. I just feel like she doesn't need the extra stress of brooding on top of everything else she has going on!
I did put her outside today, in a dog crate w/o the bottom tray so she was in the grass. She definitely perked up, and ate more than I think she has in quite a while. Of course as soon as I put her back in she hunkered down, but it may just be that she's not really one for roosting. We'll see in the morning I guess!

Thanks again.
~Terry