Silkie not eating, wandering aimlessly after environment change.

[chickengrapes]

I was hoping someone might have some recommendations for me. I have a 17 week silkie. She was hatched and raised with her brothers and sisters here. She was temporarily adopted by a neighbor with other chickens. She went last Saturday evening and was returned to me last night because she wasn't eating or moving. So, gone from my house around 6 days. I have no idea when she stopped eating. But when she refused figs they brought her back to me. She has definitely lost weight and her crop is empty.

She was a very healthy chicken with a tight bond with one other chicken here. We have assumed she was missing her family and not transitioning well.

So, she's back with me. She has spent the time roaming around the yard aimlessly, chattering. Pays no attention to her flock mates and is not eating. I am syringe feeding her vitamin enriched water with electrolytes and probiotics to keep her hydrated with some nutrition to help her get through this. I feed her this until I can feel a nice little bubble of water in her crop. I don't know what else to do but continue this until she's eating. Anyone have any suggestions at all on how to manage this? She's a beautiful, sweet, glowing black silkie and my absolute favorite. I cannot stand the idea of losing her. Any and all care advice would be so appreciated. Thank you, thank you!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Stress can bring on illness. Have you given her a good looking over? Can she see? Do you have any birds that she was raised with yet?

 

[chickengrapes]

I've looked her over to the best of my knowledge. I don't see anything. I put green goo on her legs and feet just to be safe. I don't see anything though.

I had some concerns about her vision. But I do believe she had some eyesight. She had her eyes open yesterday while I held her and they were clear. Today she has been keeping them closed while I syringe water into her. I have opened her lids and the eye is still clear and seems to be reacting to me.

She was back with her hatch mates starting yesterday evening. They are not picking on her. They are in the house with me still and with 110 degree heat I haven't let them do much outside except for a little monitored freedom in the morning. However, I've been wondering about heat stroke since she was outside in this heat at her temporary house and not eating.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Silkies can be prone to head trauma, and brain injuries. Does she have a vaulted skull or is it normal? You don't see any marks on the skull? My experiences keeping silkies is they can be extremely hardy to extremely fragile depending on the individual.

Sounds like you are doing all you can for her. I don't think I can recommend anything beyond what you are doing. Hopefully she slowly improves.

 

[chickengrapes]

She has a vaulted skull. I just checked her head and I don't see anything. So I'll keep caring for her as I am and pray. One other question. How often do I give her the supplement water? I've been keeping her pretty hydrated, and I started wondering if I could give her too much? I'm thinking of adding in some vitamin e if it might be a neurological.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I'll tag @Wyorp Rock . She may be able to help. Since it has a vaulted skull my guess is it did get some sort of head trauma. Either a peck or just getting jostled too much. I only had one with a vaulted skull and she ended up pecked and mentally disabled her whole life. She's the main reason I stopped keeping silkie. It was heartbreaking, and a lot of extra work looking out for her.

 

[chickengrapes]

Oh, thank you so much!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I would give her 400IU Vitamin E and 1/4 tablet B-Complex.
What does her poop look like?

Get her hydrated, then see if she will eat some wet chick starter with bits of egg mixed in.
Not sure what happened to this sweet girl, but she may have suffered some trauma or possibly being "new" to the other home she didn't eat/drink well and just needs to be built back up.
Glad you went and got her, hopefully with your attention she will bounce back, keep us posted.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Thank you @Wyorp Rock .

 

[chickengrapes]

She just pooped for me and it is just water. Slight bit of white marbled in the clear liquid. She was resting normally when I got her up to give her more water and vitamins. She is doing a bobblehead like move with her head that is new. But she is preening herself. I am giving her rooster booster brand poultry cell in her water, is this enough b vitamins? I do not have b complex in addition to that. What is the correct vitamin b product for me to purchase. I do have vitamin e and I'm working on getting it in her now. Thank you for helping !