Silkie hen loosing weight quickly

[KarateHorse]

Hi everyone. I have a white silkie hen that is an indoor pet. She has untreatable wry neck. I have tried giving her vitamin E but it never helps it so I think it is a genetic issue. Anyway, she lives inside the house because all my other birds pick on her, step on her, run her away from the food dish, ect. She has always been a thin bird but in the past couple days, she has lost A LOT of weight. She is like skin and bones. She isn't acting like herself and doesn't have much energy. She has 24 hour access to layer crumbles, cracked corn and fresh water. She is a little over a year old. She is eating fine but not gaining weight. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks

 

[ChickenCanoe]

She could have picked up some sort of parasite. Do you have a good avian vet poultry experience near you?
Have you also given selenium with the vitamin E? They must be administered together.

 

[Farm life101]

First I would take away cracked corn it can be used as a treat once in a while but shouldn’t be used as food. Try feeding her some oatmeal or yogurt ever other day and the rest of the time give her some meat bird food mixed with layer food. Also give her your table scraps they can eat just about anything here is a link to some things they CANT have https://www.fresheggsdaily.com/2013/02/toxic-treats-what-not-to-feed-your.html

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Is the silkie laying eggs?

 

[KarateHorse]

Is the silkie laying eggs?

No she has never layed.

 

[KarateHorse]

First I would take away cracked corn it can be used as a treat once in a while but shouldn’t be used as food. Try feeding her some oatmeal or yogurt ever other day and the rest of the time give her some meat bird food mixed with layer food. Also give her your table scraps they can eat just about anything here is a link to some things they CANT have https://www.fresheggsdaily.com/2013/02/toxic-treats-what-not-to-feed-your.html

Ok. I don't have any meat bird feed. Will chick grower or game bird feed work?

 

[KarateHorse]

She could have picked up some sort of parasite. Do you have a good avian vet poultry experience near you?
Have you also given selenium with the vitamin E? They must be administered together.

I don't know of any poultry vets near me. I didn't give her any selenium but we have treated wry neck in other birds with just vitamin E.

 

[FishMtFarm]

She needs the selenium. Vitamin E needs selenium to be properly utilized in the body. I honestly thing tho you are better off putting her down. Most severe cases end in death.

 

[KarateHorse]

She needs the selenium. Vitamin E needs selenium to be properly utilized in the body. I honestly thing tho you are better off putting her down. Most severe cases end in death.

She had been doing great with the wry neck up until the past few days. I will try the selenium but I don't think the wry neck is causing her to loose weight because she is still eating.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

No she has never layed.

Then there is no reason for her to be eating layer feed. A one year old bird that has never laid an egg, yet has been eating a diet of 4% calcium likely has urolithiasis. That's way too high for a bird not building egg shells. Chickens have two kidneys of 3 segments each. They will continue to act normal as long as there are still 2 functioning segments. But the damage will cause visceral gout.
I would quit the layer feed immediately and switch to a starter/grower of about 18% protein. I wouldn't go as high as meat bird feed protein levels. The kidneys and liver are likely already compromised. Make sure she always has access to fresh clean water to flush the kidneys. The damage can't be reversed though.
If she dies, please send her to your poultry diagnostic lab and I'll bet the necropsy will verify the kidney damage.
There are other labs in the state but here is one. If you contact them, they'll let you know where the others are and they may send you a Fed Ex label for shipping.

Rollins Diagnostic Laboratory


North Carolina Department of Agriculture

2101 Blue Ridge Rd

Raleigh, North Carolina 27607-6432

Phone: 919-733-3986