- Jun 29, 2012
- 17
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I am very new to chickens. Back in June I bought 3 baby silkies. I put them in a guinea pig cage with regular play sand on the floor.
All 3 chicks were born within the same week but one of them was much smaller than the other 2 (Raven). Around the beginning of August, I found the small chick laying on the floor of the cage flapping her wings. I thought she was just a runt and the other two bigger chicks were picking on her and maybe broke her leg. She would hold her right leg out straight and couldn't walk on it. I soon realized it was something much more serious and she wasn't getting better after weeks of special care. I came to the conclusion that she had botulism. A fellow member of a farm and garden Facebook group offered to take the chick for me since I know nothing about them. He said he would do what he could to help her.
My other 2 chicks have been growing like noisey little weeds since then and we are even putting the finishing touches on their brand new coop that my boyfriend and I have been building :0) Unfortunately, yesterday, we noticed that one of the girls (Vern) is having trouble walking on her right foot. She walks very slowly and loses her balance quite often. The first thing I thought of was my poor little Raven. I hope that the same thing isn't happening to Vern. She has been losing alot of feathers lately and has runny brownish yellow poop. She's still eating and drinking but lays around alot since walking is so difficult. I just hope that something I am doing isn't making my babies sick. Does anyone have any ideas as to what it could be or maybe a reference website where I can look it up? Im so worried :-(
All 3 chicks were born within the same week but one of them was much smaller than the other 2 (Raven). Around the beginning of August, I found the small chick laying on the floor of the cage flapping her wings. I thought she was just a runt and the other two bigger chicks were picking on her and maybe broke her leg. She would hold her right leg out straight and couldn't walk on it. I soon realized it was something much more serious and she wasn't getting better after weeks of special care. I came to the conclusion that she had botulism. A fellow member of a farm and garden Facebook group offered to take the chick for me since I know nothing about them. He said he would do what he could to help her.
My other 2 chicks have been growing like noisey little weeds since then and we are even putting the finishing touches on their brand new coop that my boyfriend and I have been building :0) Unfortunately, yesterday, we noticed that one of the girls (Vern) is having trouble walking on her right foot. She walks very slowly and loses her balance quite often. The first thing I thought of was my poor little Raven. I hope that the same thing isn't happening to Vern. She has been losing alot of feathers lately and has runny brownish yellow poop. She's still eating and drinking but lays around alot since walking is so difficult. I just hope that something I am doing isn't making my babies sick. Does anyone have any ideas as to what it could be or maybe a reference website where I can look it up? Im so worried :-(
