Silkie hen cannot walk, stopped eating

Hollyb-c

In the Brooder
8 Years
May 5, 2011
10
0
22
My little silkie hen is about 1 year old. She has always been smaller than the other silkie hen. She seemed to be moving slower and slower in the past month. Last week she started limping, then about 5 days ago, she stopped walking. I took her to the vet - he does not think it is Mareks or Rickets. He took an x-ray, found no broken bones or heavy metal. I brought her in the house and have been keeping her in a large box with shavings and hay. I have been feeding her a daily diet for "Rickets" - cooked egg yolk, cooked oatmeal, grated apple, honey, yogurt, her normal feed crumbles, and a drop of Poly Vi Sol (3 out of the 5 days) I have had her in the house. She has been eating very well, but now has to lean up against the corner of the box to keep from falling over backwards. I am keeping her bottom clean. Today she ate her breakfast but did not eat any of the crumbles I left in her box for her. Tonight she won't eat her rickets food either. I don't think she is drinking either. I can't tell if she is in pain or not. I don't want her to starve to death. How long do I hold on to her before I send her to Chicken Heaven. And HOW do you do that?? Ug, crying now. Any ideas? Thanks:(
 
Once they stop eating and drinking you can just wait with them. Unless dipping her beak encourages her to drink she will be gone soon.

I am sorry that I don't know what is wrong with your hen or how to help. I just wanted to let you know that you won't have long to wait with her and you don't have to hasten things IMO.
 
So sorry for you sick chicken. It sounds to me like a balance issue - could be inner ear infection. How is she now? have her symptoms increased?


Q - I also have a sick chicken ... through BYC and local poultry raisers advise I have heard it could be a very extensive nursing (warmer, vitamins, hand feeding, and meds) back to health period, expecting 3-6 weeks. He is progressing but taking a very long time to recover - we are 3+ weeks now. how are you keeping her bottom clean???? I devised a bed pan system when he was more immobile the first week but now he wants to move more but is still very sedentary. So much gets stuck to his feathers requiring all too frequent soaks/baths (I've been averaging 1 per week but it could be done more often but it's such a time consuming and stressful for the bird chore. This has been the biggest nuisance and challenge for me. Any advise welcomed.
 
My little chicken (Angel) started eating again right after my post. She is actually no better, the same, but she is definitely eating less. She is still taking her antiobiotic in her water and it is time to give her the ivermectin again. i just bathe her in the sink, and blow-dry her. I have only seen a couple of lice on her during this procedure. I hold her up by her body so she can move her legs since she sits on them 24/7. She seems strong when I hold her up for balance, although she does favor one leg. I have fashioned a "ledge" around the corner of the box so she can rest her bottom on that without falling back into the corner, and have a similar set up outside of the box so she gets a change of scenery. I put a paper towel under her bottom so the clean-up is easier. I'm not giving up on her, but if she does recover, I don't see how she could ever go out with the other chickens, but.....we will see (I hope.) Good luck with yours, I know it is hard.
 

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