Silkie falling over

[JayDee]

I think I'm going to cry.

After my holidays being taken up nursing Blanche back to health, we've just noticed one of our little silkie pullets falling over. We also have a bird behind our fireplace. Ugh. No rest for the wicked as they say!

1) What type of bird , age and weight.
Silkie, POL, haven't weighed her

2) What is the behavior, exactly.
Lying down in the sun, and being unsteady on her feet. Not as active as the other two.

3) How long has the bird been exhibiting symptoms?
Just noticed it today, but we've been away for two days.

4) Are other birds exhibiting the same symptoms?
No. But our Araucana, Blanche (different coop/run), is just over a respiratory infection.

5) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma.
None at all

6) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation.
No idea

7) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all.
ETA: Thought I'd seen her doing both but vet says she's definitely not getting any food.

8) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc.
Just cleaned out the loft -- all the poo looked the same so unless she's not pooing, it's all the same. ETA: in the carrier she was in going to the vets, she only passed urates. They were normal/white coloured.

9) What has been the treatment you have administered so far?
None

10 ) What is your intent as far as treatment? For example, do you want to treat completely yourself, or do you need help in stabilizing the bird til you can get to a vet?
ETA: We took the bird to the vet and he said he could find nothing wrong except she's starving to death. Offered to put her to sleep.

11) If you have a picture of the wound or condition, please post it. It may help.
12) Describe the housing/bedding in use
Large loft style house, run underneath the actual house. medicated straw bedding. two other silkies from the same breeder live there with her.

 

[JayDee]

Em just rang from the vets -- hen is very emaciated but no apparent reason for it.

He offered to put her down, but we've taken her home to see if she'll eat. Maybe she was being bullied?

 

[<3ChickenForever]

Is she limping at all? Does she fall down hard?

 

[JayDee]

No limping, and she sets herself down easy.

 

[<3ChickenForever]

Did you check her legs? If she has any broken bones?

 

[JayDee]

Vet checked her over fully. He said there was nothing apparent.

 

[<3ChickenForever]

Hmmm strange. Is there anything strange looking on her legs?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Sorry to hear about your Silkie, sometimes we just don't have a clue what is wrong and what to do for them.. I am going through the same thing with one of my hens, I'm keeping her in and trying to get her to eat. but she is unable to walk, I think she is paralyzed but don't know why. Everyone else is acting fine.. she'll be 1 yrs. next month.. I have been trying to get her to take some baby vitamins, don't know how much she actually got of it though. Sure hope your little one pulls through, and mine too. We do get attached.

 

[Three Cedars Silkies]

When was the last time she was wormed? If not for awhile, I would go ahead and worm her now. Have you check more mite/lice? Sometimes they will get on one bird and not the others.

She may have botulism...google "merck botulism" and you can check out the symptoms.

I would dribble water with an antibiotic in it (I like lincomycin) along her beak every hour until she has had about 1/4 cup. Boil a couple of eggs and chop them up...sometimes they will eat something like this when they won't eat their regular feed.

Good luck...keep us posted...

 

[JayDee]

There's Verm-x in the food as we speak, but we did it not that long ago either. I just re-did it because the Welsummers passed a good few worms after and I thought it might be worth repeating. She does have some lice, but not a lot. We've dusted her anyway.

I do have Flubenevet on the way -- nowhere local stocks it.

The good news is, she's eating! OH gave her a small taste of baby pureed veg in a syringe and Loonie grabbed the entire syringe with her beak. She ate about 1ml of yoghurt and 1ml of baby veg before she started falling asleep. I'll try eggs when she's taking more of the pureed stuff.

We darkened the room and will check on her again and see if she's awake and we'll feed her a bit more.

Googled botulism -- I'll keep an eye out, but she's definitely still able to stand and walk, she is just so weak that she doesn't much.

Thanks everyone.