Ederle
Songster
- Jun 22, 2017
- 113
- 97
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This 3-4 yr old silkie is at the very bottom of the pecking order (I know this for a fact) in a coop that has about twenty other hens, most of them much larger than her.
In the past I've been able to keep the small silkies with the standard-size hens, but recently one of the large hens has started tormenting the silkies nonstop. This silkie in particular, since she's so small and very submissive. When the others peck her she just puts her head down in the corner and doesn't move.
So two nights ago I was counting the hens in the coop. It was evening, and I was about to lock the coops up for bed; however, I noticed that this silkie was missing.
I found her next to the coop, sitting in a bush in the dark. She looked like she was trying to make a nest there or something--that's what I assumed she was doing, since she is almost always broody. I lifted her up and set her back down again, nudged her, poked her, tried to startle her, but she didn't stand up for a while. When she finally did stand up, she took one step and fell forward. She was panting like she was in shock.
This happened five times, she still couldn't walk, and that's when I separated her from the others. It was very dark at this point so I couldn't examine her easily.
The next morning she was awake, alert, and hungry. I gave her food and she scarfed it down like she hadn't eaten in a while. I put her out in the grass and she immediately stood up and started pecking the grass without any balance issues whatsoever. She then proceeded to lay an egg in her crate and sit on it.
No eye issues, no obvious injuries, no leg/foot problems that I can see. She is very hungry and she's been running away from me like normal. Yesterday I was hardly able to catch her to put her back in the crate.
So what do you think happened here? Can I put her back with the other hens now?
Recap:
-Silkie, 3-4 years old
-Does get bullied by one hen who is much larger and heavier than her (silkie is 2 1/2lbs, other hen in around 5lbs)
-Did not go in the coop one night, found her sitting in a bush.
-Could not walk. Would fall forward or to her side.
-Panting heavily, and not vocalizing at all.
-Seemed completely normal the next day, laid an egg. It's now been about two days and she seems normal.
-No eye problems, leg problems, or injuries that I can see.
-Removed mites from her and all of the others about two weeks ago.
And I have her separated in a warm, dark cage full of hay and covered partially with a towel until I feel confident that I can put her back out with the others.
In the past I've been able to keep the small silkies with the standard-size hens, but recently one of the large hens has started tormenting the silkies nonstop. This silkie in particular, since she's so small and very submissive. When the others peck her she just puts her head down in the corner and doesn't move.
So two nights ago I was counting the hens in the coop. It was evening, and I was about to lock the coops up for bed; however, I noticed that this silkie was missing.
I found her next to the coop, sitting in a bush in the dark. She looked like she was trying to make a nest there or something--that's what I assumed she was doing, since she is almost always broody. I lifted her up and set her back down again, nudged her, poked her, tried to startle her, but she didn't stand up for a while. When she finally did stand up, she took one step and fell forward. She was panting like she was in shock.
This happened five times, she still couldn't walk, and that's when I separated her from the others. It was very dark at this point so I couldn't examine her easily.
The next morning she was awake, alert, and hungry. I gave her food and she scarfed it down like she hadn't eaten in a while. I put her out in the grass and she immediately stood up and started pecking the grass without any balance issues whatsoever. She then proceeded to lay an egg in her crate and sit on it.
No eye issues, no obvious injuries, no leg/foot problems that I can see. She is very hungry and she's been running away from me like normal. Yesterday I was hardly able to catch her to put her back in the crate.
So what do you think happened here? Can I put her back with the other hens now?
Recap:
-Silkie, 3-4 years old
-Does get bullied by one hen who is much larger and heavier than her (silkie is 2 1/2lbs, other hen in around 5lbs)
-Did not go in the coop one night, found her sitting in a bush.
-Could not walk. Would fall forward or to her side.
-Panting heavily, and not vocalizing at all.
-Seemed completely normal the next day, laid an egg. It's now been about two days and she seems normal.
-No eye problems, leg problems, or injuries that I can see.
-Removed mites from her and all of the others about two weeks ago.
And I have her separated in a warm, dark cage full of hay and covered partially with a towel until I feel confident that I can put her back out with the others.
