Silkie chicks with diarrhea!!

[tlmancuso]

I was given two 4 month old silkie chicks yesterday. They have diarrhea this morning. One wobbles her head when she drinks. They were both wet like they splashed in the water and their head feathers were wet. I know nothing about silkies and am worried something is very wrong with them!! They are active and alert. I'm thinking that stress and new food may be causing the diarrhea? Please help!

 

[mustang56]

Stress from the move...could be one thing...
check for blood in the stool....if there is... they have coccidiosis and you need some corrid...

II give my chicks poly vi sol without iron....
but some say don't give the poly vi sol if your giving them corrid for coccidiosis...

I'd cook up an egg.... and break it into little bitty bites....and feed it to them...

hope that helps...!

 

[mustang56]

when you feed table food.... you might want to give them CRUSHED up oyster shells... or sand in a separate dish...

 

[tlmancuso]

Thank you! I'll make them egg. Is plain yogurt good for their systems? I have grit for my chicks as well. What about the head wobble? She's perfectly fine, but when she puts her head down to drink it wobbles to the side a bit and then once she's been drinking a few times it isn't as bad. Are they messy drinkers?

 

[mustang56]

If she has coccidiosis... that may be one of the signs....
do you have pebbles or rocks in the water..... if not, get some...it keeps them from drowning ....

the poly vi sol without iron.... helps with neck problems...

I'd have to see a video or pictures of her neck.... to see if I could determine whats going on...
I do raise silkies.... so I know some... but not everything...! =)

 

[mustang56]

yes yogurt is great...!

 

[tlmancuso]

I managed to get her drinking on video. They are both doing better. The little one still has the head wobble when she drinks. I was told that they have been kept in a box in an apartment all of their lives

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Feed her wet chick starter - mix some chick starter with water - add yogurt if you like - make it into a paste- and give her some poultry vitamins with Vitamin E and Selinium in it.

You may also want to consider using a poultry waterer (water fount) set on top of a brick or use a shallower bowl raised up closer to chest high. Chickens sort of "scoop" their water, so she may be dipping her beak instead of drinking - could be part of the head shaking - she's getting water in her nostrils.


Just a thought.

Common disease to silkies:
https://poultrykeeper.com/blog/diseases-common-to-silkies/

Some articles dealing with Silkie health
http://www.browneggblueegg.com/Article.html

 

[ramsburgchicken]

I was given two 4 month old silkie chicks yesterday. They have diarrhea this morning. One wobbles her head when she drinks. They were both wet like they splashed in the water and their head feathers were wet. I know nothing about silkies and am worried something is very wrong with them!! They are active and alert. I'm thinking that stress and new food may be causing the diarrhea? Please help!

our flock of 49 consists of 22 silkies(including chicks we've hatched here).

1.) are you feeding medicated feed? If not, you'll want to pick some up, as it protects them from coccidiosis. We started all the chicks with this.

2. I've never seen something like that in any of our chicks. It may be neurological or it may be something simple. Please make an appointment with your closest avian vet asap so you can get a quick and accurate diagnosis and definitive treatment.

3.) contact your state Ag department and have them screen your flock. They will check for everything from coccidiosis, mycoplasma, worms, and much more. They did our entire flock for free (no kidding?! Saved us a bunch of money) and we got results back in about 2 weeks. This way you will be able to X out a lot of unknowns if your flock falls ill in the future.

 

[tlmancuso]

I think the beak dipping was the issue! I used the chic's water dispenser and she had no head wobbling. That might be what her previous owner was using too. Thank you!!