Silkie Chick with eyes "droopy"

[robin416]

I would hold off on the eye ointment for a few days, at least until the peep has been receiving the vitamins for a time.

The look is not one of an eye problem but of one that the bird does not feel quite right. You should be seeing some crusting around the eye if it was a problem with the eyes. Vitamins may be enough but one other thought, cocci. Even on medicated feed they can develop an over load.

 

[Kaelinstorm]

Ok that sounds good. I really think its a Vit. D deficiency from being indoors almost 24/7 for a week and a half- 2weeks... I was afraid of the heat and the other chickens pecking her soft spot so shes been in here. I think a little Sunny D will do her some good. And I dont have her on medicated feed because she shares feed with a duckling. Shes on Dumor Chick Starter/Grower 20%

 

[robin416]

Then I would be thinking about cocci being the issue.

I doubt highly that it is D deficiency, its takes more than a couple of weeks for it to manifest itself in physical signs.

 

[thedubaifox]

I think from the picture there is a red part around the eye, which makes one side of the head bigger if you look from front. This bigger side will preasure up to her nose, and make her start runny nose issues. I would suggest you go for the med I told u about since it never hearts ur baby anyways!

Btw i think this chick is a rooster to be

 

[Kaelinstorm]

Hmmm... I dont know if I see the red you are talking about. I think Ill check with my vet and see if she works with chickens. I know they do large livestock.

And if its a rooster... bummer LOL Oh well Im probably eventually going to build a chicken run for just silkies at some point anyway so that I can keep a flock of them. I totally love how different they are!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Quote:
When I mentioned about her/his eyes was that usually the eyes tell ya how chickens and or people are feeling and looking at your little silkie she is saying I don't feel so hot. Not necessarily that something is wrong with her eyes, but having the Terrimycin eye ointment on hand is a good thing. Even putting some in her eyes wouldn't hurt, I would assume it would help treat something else going on. But of course it's always best to have a vet to look if you can afford it and have one that knows about poultry. As far as a vitamin D deff. probably not yet anyway, but getting her out of doors is good medicine in it's self. In the cooler parts of the day. So your doing great there and sounds like she enjoyed it alot. Plus she is probably lonely since they really are flock animals so you might want to start your silkie flock sooner than later. Let us know if you have any luck with the vet and what they think. All the best. As for Cocci you can get the vet to do a culture and that will tell you if it's cocci. also her poop will give ya some hints too. Heres the poop chart to help you sort out any poop problems.. http://www.chat.allotment.org.uk/index.php?topic=17568.0

 

[Kaelinstorm]

Well I think I may have another possible.... Ive started to notice that yesterday her feathers between her wings looked funky... like they had gotten wet and some looked missing and there is like a yellow tinge on them... now this has spread to her wings a bit. Could this be mites? Maybe I should get a picture.

Oh and her eyes looked bad this morning but after being outside for a couple of hours they looked a little better... So confusing! LOL

**Edit** Heres a picture of the back feathers Im talking about:

Mites?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Quote:
heres a link about external parasites. doesn't look like lice or mites. but hard to say by picture. Have you been on the silkie thread? people that have a specific breed can probably help alot more, I have never had silkies and there could be problems that are related just to that breed that we could be over looking, so maybe post on the Silkie thread and see if you get any replys. I hope your little one improves sometimes it's a mystery but hopefully it can be solved.

might not be much at all. http://ohioline.osu.edu/vme-fact/0018.html

 

[robin416]

I raise Silkies and that is not anything a Silkie can be blamed for.

Its entirely possible the chick has been on its back and gotten messy.

Have you started a cocci treatment of any kind? At this stage it can not hurt and if left too long, if it is cocci, it will kill rapidly.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Quote:
I thought it was probably just water but couldn't figure out why it would be on it's back? sounds like your saying treat for cocci anyway.