Silkie Chick Dying

[ScavengerBird]

I bought 5 Silkie chicks from Rural King May 1st, all have been fine, eating, drinking, playing, ect.

However this one hasn't grown at all, and is now showing signs of heavy, opened beak breathing. I've given her egg yolks and electrolytes. She was eating fine but has now taken to just lying about like she's asleep, but will jerk awake almost violently. Her whole body will jolt, throwing her back like she's having a minute seizure.

I'm assuming it's death throws.

We've accepted she's very, very likely not going to make it. My main question is, could she be dying from disease, or could it be she's just internally messed up seeing as she's half the size of her same age siblings.....?

 

[Hencraze24]

Poor thing- being the owner of a 2 beautiful Silkies, this breaks my heart seeing this.
it's probably a birth defect.
which one in the photo is sick?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

one hasn't grown at all, and is now showing signs of heavy, opened beak breathing. I've given her egg yolks and electrolytes. She was eating fine but has now taken to just lying about like she's asleep, but will jerk awake almost violently. Her whole body will jolt, throwing her back like she's having a minute seizure.

Which chick is it?
Can you take a video of her actions? upload video to youtube, provide a link.

Is the chick pooping? What does that look like?

Will she eat on her own? Was she eating chick starter to begin with or have you been having to hand feed her for the last few weeks?

 

[ScavengerBird]

She just passed away. It was the black one. I've wanted Silkies for so long and finally got these now I'm scared it could be something bad. Google just has me freaked out.

I have a video but I don't use YouTube to share a link. Her breathing was open beaked, and her whole body pulsed with each breath. I'd say she was breathing 2x for every breath her siblings took.

She was eating, I was dropping electrolyte water on her beak, so she drank that. She pooped once, it looked fine, maybe a little dry, but there were visible urates in it that didn't seem cakey.

The body jerks didnt start until hours later. It was like she'd start to fall asleep and she was trying to stay awake. How they do when they fight sleep, but very violent....

I'm just hoping, I guess, she was genetically messed up and my others are okay...?

 

[ScavengerBird]

Which chick is it?
Can you take a video of her actions? upload video to youtube, provide a link.

Is the chick pooping? What does that look like?

Will she eat on her own? Was she eating chick starter to begin with or have you been having to hand feed her for the last few weeks?

Sorry, yes, Medicated Chick starter. Eating fine literally until she started the jerking and 'dozing off' actions.

 

[Hencraze24]

I'd clean your bedding and feeders. what type of bedding are you using?

 

[ScavengerBird]

I'd clean your bedding and feeders. what type of bedding are you using?

Newspapers, we had pine at first, but they were sneezing, I assume from the dust, so I replaced it just incase. We change it out every other day.

Everyone else is perfectly fine. They're far more active than she ever really was....

We're cleaning everything now. Since she's so small could it be a defect or should I be as worried as I am about my others....

This is my 3rd batch of chicks this year and my first loss. I've had chickens all my life, I'm 30. I've had chicks die over night but I've never had Silkies to know if this is 'normal', I guess? Normal meaning one so tiny that has defects? I know they're somewhat inbred. Like the pug of the chicken world...

My wife told me the baby was 'clicking' with each breath. So respiratory problems???

 

[Norcal527]

Probably just failure to thrive...I'm sorry for your loss

 

[ScavengerBird]

Probably just failure to thrive...I'm sorry for your loss

I'd rather think that than disease, I guess. I'm definitely helicopter parenting the rest now... Is there anything I should do? Theyve got access to electrolyte water, fresh water, and their food is medicated...

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I'm sorry for your loss

It would be hard to speculate what happened, but with your description and her not growing, it was likely a developmental/genetic disorder - failure to thrive.