Silkie - Picking, Injured Leg, Trouble Seeing

[monica3108]

I was looking for any suggestions on what to do with my Silkie, she has been having some problems with with my other chickens picking her feathers on her head. I have used BlueKote and it seems to help for a bit, but after a day it's not as effective. She has a large bare spot, probably 1" square. I never really had any problems till it got really cold and the girls didn't go out to the run. I am talk about weeks with the windchill at -40, it has been better the last few weeks, but the temps are dropping again. My girls are just now about a year old and I am new to raising chickens, but I really have had any troubles till now. I have taken my silkie out from the coop and she is alone now. I feel bad that she's alone, but I felt worse that she was being picked on. She was with a Buff Orphington, Rhode Island Red, Black Sex Link, Easter Egger and a Millie Fleur - I have no idea which one is doing it. If I find out I will remove it from the coop and possibly get a silkie so she has a companion. Any suggestions on who it might be?

My silkie is also having a leg problem, limping a little bit. I am hoping keeping her separate in a smaller area will help her heal up.

She also seems to have trouble seeing, missing her food. Unlike the other chickens. I am wondering if the feathers are in her eyes, I am going to trim them up tomorrow, but cold it make it that bad she couldn't find her food. The feathers don't really see, to be covering up too much of her eyes. I will find out tomorrow and see if that helps. Are silkies know for eye problems?

I would really appreciate any advice on any of my issues! Thank you!

 

[Eggcessive]

Welcome to BYC. I would put her in a cage or crate with food and water with poultry vitamins, and leave her with the others in their coop. Your coop may need to be enlarged if they are too crowded on days when they have to stay inside. Putting some plastic up to shield the run from wind may help them want to go outside. Can you look at your silkie's eye, and make sure the iris and pupil look alike in color and size? She could be limping from an injury, but if her eyesight is bad, and she is lame, I would read a little on Mareks disease. Was she vaccinated?

 

[MrsBrooke]

Silkies are often on the bottom of the pecking order and will definitely get beaten up by other flock members. Crested breeds and silkies are targets when it comes to pecky chickens (probably due to their unusual feathers)... Sad fact of life!

Other than that, what Eggcessive said.

MrsB

 

[monica3108]

Welcome to BYC. I would put her in a cage or crate with food and water with poultry vitamins, and leave her with the others in their coop. Your coop may need to be enlarged if they are too crowded on days when they have to stay inside. Putting some plastic up to shield the run from wind may help them want to go outside. Can you look at your silkie's eye, and make sure the iris and pupil look alike in color and size? She could be limping from an injury, but if her eyesight is bad, and she is lame, I would read a little on Mareks disease. Was she vaccinated?

No she was not vaccinated. I will look more into the Mareks disease. Her eyes are black, I looked to see if I could see anything and they are both very dark. So I wasn't sure if that was just the color of her eyes or if she was blind. She does stand on one leg with no troubles, and kinda hops around on it. I have her in the garage right now with it being so cold and we just got a foot of snow it might be awhile before I am adding on to my coop. I have been thinking of ways I can add on and make it bigger for them though. But I spend as much time with her as I can and she is always very chatty so she seems to be happy and not in too much pain.

Thanks for your reply.