Silkie losing weight, very lazy behaviour

[spinntwist]

Hello, we have four silkies who are 9-10 months old. When we first got them they were all shy for a couple of months before settling in. About a month later, Dumpling got a respiratory virus and I took her to the avian vet who treated with antibiotics. Her symptoms were sneezing and reduced activity (although she still scratched and ate a little grass during their free range time). The antibiotics worked and she perked up but as soon as they stopped she began again, so another trip to the vet, two rounds of antibiotics cleared her and she was back to herself and had gained weight. The other silkies began laying at this time. Dumpling didn’t but I expected she may take longer.

A couple of months ago I noticed she liked to sit down right between a water and feeder a lot. She still seemed okay, just kinda lazy. This behaviour only increased, lots of sitting. I noticed she had begun to be picked on, began to seem disinterested in food until the others were either out of the run and in the backyard or just before bed when the others began to go to roost. It didn’t matter how many feeders I put out or where I located them, she just refused to eat if they were near. I need to be clear, they really weren’t bullying her, just boisterous and an occasional (really not hard) peck. She is just very timid.

Thus far I have trimmed back her feathers to ensure her sight wasn’t being effected, treated with cocciprol, gave poultry vitamins after, wormed them all, checked for mites (none) and then dusted anyway. Her last vet trip they did a fecal float and it was negative. She will only eat grain or a layer pellet mash, treats mean nothing to her. I cannot tempt her with mealworms, eggs, yoghurt, anything. We brought her in at night and gave her her own run next to the others so she could feel safe and finally bought her a mini coop which is attached to her run. She also get supervised time with the others to see if that will perk her up but essentially for four weeks now she doesn’t scratch, barely walks around and eats minimally. She has lost about 150gms since her last vet trip a couple of months ago. Her droppings are small, normal mostly with the occasional green one (which is unsurprising considering how little she eats), but apart from that seem normal. Her crop never feels full. She has never laid (I don’t care if she doesn’t give eggs ever if she was healthy and happy, but it does seem to follow her lack of nutrition).

I have read everything I possibly can and swung between her being very nervous to depressed to infected with something. Any advice is welcome. The vet advised us last to try to tempt her to eat more as she may be lethargic from not eating enough but she doesn’t seem tempted but will eat, just very small amounts.

 

[Debbie292d]

We've raised silkies for years, and you've got me stumped. They can be vulnerable to vitamin deficiencies, but it sounds like you've already tried vitamins.

Usually scrambled eggs is something no chicken can turn down.

Have you tried probiotics? I ferment grains so these get it every other day, but otherwise I keep Hydro-Hen for their water on hand should I slack on the ferment. Probiotics can also help with appetite.

I've never needed to feed mine anything like this but for sick chickens, I've heard of a half can of tuna or canned cat food they might eat some of. If nothing else works, you could try that too.