Silkie not eating, wandering aimlessly after environment change.

[chickengrapes]

If she sustained a brain injury it could take weeks for her to improve, or she could never improve. She needs more time. I understand your frustration though. I dealt with a brain injured silkie once, and will never own silkies again because of the risk. All you can do is keep trying.

I know. I keep telling myself that. I want to give her the time she needs. She has improved so that's a good sign. Do you have an opinion on keeping her inside or letting her go out with the others? I read somewhere that if it's brain injury she should be in a cool and dark spot.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I left mine with the flock. I felt removing her would cause too much stress.

After the initial pecking on mine, which was done by her fellow silkie sisters when they were young, they became more accepting of her, which was amazing to see. She was unfortunately peck once more in her life by a large breed hen that got into the bantam coop. That time really did her in and she slowly faded away over the course of a year.

The first time it took a good month before I felt she was close to being how she was before, but she never was quite right.

I did separate her daily and fed her a moistened ration. I had to check daily that she was eating, and made sure she went in and out. Mine only survived 3 years.

It was a lot of time on my part, but I did what I had to do. Now that I'm further in my chicken keeping career I might of culled her instead, but it's hard to say. She was one of my favorite birds, and is one I will never forget.

 

[chickengrapes]

I left mine with the flock. I felt removing her would cause too much stress.

After the initial pecking on mine, which was done by her fellow silkie sisters when they were young, they became more accepting of her, which was amazing to see. She was unfortunately peck once more in her life by a large breed hen that got into the bantam coop. That time really did her in and she slowly faded away over the course of a year.

The first time it took a good month before I felt she was close to being how she was before, but she never was quite right.

I did separate her daily and fed her a moistened ration. I had to check daily that she was eating, and made sure she went in and out. Mine only survived 3 years.

It was a lot of time on my part, but I did what I had to do. Now that I'm further in my chicken keeping career I might of culled her instead, but it's hard to say. She was one of my favorite birds, and is one I will never forget.

Thank you! This gives me hope and makes me feel that I'm not alone, thank you. I'll do the same with my little Daisy . Yes, she's my favorite too. She was best friends with another hen and I see them building up their friendships again. Last night they were all snuggled together.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

So, she seems better physically. Well, if walking in a circle over and over is normal. Then she gets places by make these 2 foot circles slowly move with her. But she just doesn't get how to eat. I'm frustrated. She pecks and pecks and scratches. The food is right there. She can't get it in her mouth.

Sounds neurological like the symptom Wry Neck - some common causes are Marek's disease, head/neck trauma or vitamin deficiency.
Have you been giving her the vitamins?

You may have to hold her to feed her - even though her neck is not crooked, the walking in circles is a neurological sign. Video below - ignore, what the lady is feeding her since that's for an adult hen not a pullet. Offer wet chick starter.

I would give her 400IU Vitamin E and 1/4 tablet B-Complex.

Poultry Cell is fine - it has the B vitamins. I would go ahead and give her the extra E though for a few days.

I'm wondering if she can't see, if she may have suffered trauma (vaulted skull and all) or it may be neurological (the vitamins you are giving may help). Marek's would be another thing to consider, but what you are doing right now is the only thing I know of to do since there's no real 'treatment' for that.

 

[chickengrapes]

Sounds neurological like the symptom Wry Neck - some common causes are Marek's disease, head/neck trauma or vitamin deficiency.
Have you been giving her the vitamins?

You may have to hold her to feed her - even though her neck is not crooked, the walking in circles is a neurological sign. Video below - ignore, what the lady is feeding her since that's for an adult hen not a pullet. Offer wet chick starter.

Yes I am giving her the vitamins. Everyday. I give her:
400iu vitamin e
Omega Boost

In a bowl I mix water, probiotics, electrolytes, poultry cell vitamins and a tiny bit of bromelain & papain enzyme for protein digestion. In to this liquid I mix chicken starter feed.

I give her some grub bugs in that mash. I feed her with the syringe and then let her do her best to eat by herself. Her issue with eating this is that she doesn't seem to know how to eat it. She pecks and scratches but doesn't seem to know to open her mouth to take in the food. She wants to eat, she pecks around everywhere.

The circles are not blatantly obvious. She doesn't do it all the time either. She makes a path about 2 ft. In circumference. So she's not standing in one place. It's the aimlessly part. She seems lost. If I call her, she comes directly in my direction, with purpose. (She clearly knows her name, it's cute).

I'd like to do a video for you, but I do not know how to post it on here. Can there be a genetic component involved? I had 4 black silkies in this hatch and I've had issues with 3 of the 4 (one didn't make it and the other occasionally does the bobble head thing). All my others chicks are healthy and have no issues.

Thank you for spending time helping me! I really appreciate it.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

For video, upload to youtube and provide a link.

It could be a genetic deformity if you've had similar issues 3 out of 4.

 

[chickengrapes]

I believe maybe she is blind or at the least seeing impaired. She seems healthy and happy. She still won't eat herself. But she's out picking around at the ground a little. She can't seem to keep up with the others. This is another reason I think she is blind. She gets herself to a spot in the yard and then Just looks around helplessly like she doesn't know where to go. If I make fast motions in front of her, there is no blinking. She seems hyper focused on noises. listening and then tries to go towards the sound.

She gobbles up her mash I give her, but it's a messy process. She kind of instinctually scratches. If I don't hold her and keep her from moving around she would never get eat her mash. She would be too busy looking for it even if shes right on top of it. Any other tricks for me to help determine if she's blind?

I believe her beak has also grown too long now with the limited pecking she is doing. Is it time to trim it? And can you help walk me through how to do it? I'm watching her and think that it might be hindering her eating.

I'm taking care of her, but she is an easy target for predators. She's gotten herself stuck in the open a few times. She promptly gets brought in by me. She may need to become a house chicken of sorts.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I use a dog nail trimmer to trim beaks. I would just nip off the tip. Don't cut too short as it will bleed if you do. Than apply a blood stop product, or use something like flour or corn starch.

Generally you do the finger poking and waving in front of the eye to see if she reacts or not.

 

[chickengrapes]

I use a dog nail trimmer to trim beaks. I would just nip off the tip. Don't cut too short as it will bleed if you do. Than apply a blood stop product, or use something like flour or corn starch.

Generally you do the finger poking and waving in front of the eye to see if she reacts or not.

Thank you! I'll clip it and see if it helps her. Sorry she looks such a mess, feeding her is not neat at all.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/beak-and-claw-trimming.74570/