georgiegoose
In the Brooder
- Jun 22, 2022
- 12
- 11
- 39
Hi,
Today we sadly lost one of our silkies out of the blue with no clear cause, disease, or injury. She was one of our healthiest (at least we thought) and seemed to be doing well. She was happily interacting with the flock this morning, eating and moving about as usual. This afternoon she started becoming lethargic and at first, it looked as if she was sunbathing. Later when I checked on her I quickly realised this was not the case as she was very limp, floppy, and unresponsive. She was laying face down, wings splayed and wasn't able to stand, but was conscious. She also wasn't able to keep her head up unassisted so I quickly brought her inside and tried to make her comfortable. In the space of an hour or two, she deteriorated, started convulsing and tensing, and passed away.
We think that yesterday she was pecked a little, and she was presumably bottom of the pecking order, but we are unsure if it would take 24 hrs to present as a serious problem / be fatal. Could it be she was attacked overnight and the problem developed in a few hours? we aren't really sure, but this morning she seemed fine.
She had pooped during the time she was laying on the floor so we don't think that she could have been eggbound. The flock has also been exposed to mycoplasma gallisepticum, though she only ever had mild symptoms and never outwardly presented symptoms after this was treated last year/late 2021. None of our hens or ducks have been laying eggs lately, likely due to foxes in the area unsettling them and causing stress. No changes otherwise to their usual routine.
I know that it's impossible to determine an accurate cause without a necropsy, but I thought I'd ask here for some advice and thoughts. Does this sound familiar to a disease or condition that we may have missed, or does it sound like a case of sudden death? She was about 2 and a half to 3 years old. We had an unwell silkie die last year similarly (convulsions/tensing) but she was genuinely unwell days prior to passing, with no limpness or being unable to stand as symptoms.
It really is baffling us!
Today we sadly lost one of our silkies out of the blue with no clear cause, disease, or injury. She was one of our healthiest (at least we thought) and seemed to be doing well. She was happily interacting with the flock this morning, eating and moving about as usual. This afternoon she started becoming lethargic and at first, it looked as if she was sunbathing. Later when I checked on her I quickly realised this was not the case as she was very limp, floppy, and unresponsive. She was laying face down, wings splayed and wasn't able to stand, but was conscious. She also wasn't able to keep her head up unassisted so I quickly brought her inside and tried to make her comfortable. In the space of an hour or two, she deteriorated, started convulsing and tensing, and passed away.
We think that yesterday she was pecked a little, and she was presumably bottom of the pecking order, but we are unsure if it would take 24 hrs to present as a serious problem / be fatal. Could it be she was attacked overnight and the problem developed in a few hours? we aren't really sure, but this morning she seemed fine.
She had pooped during the time she was laying on the floor so we don't think that she could have been eggbound. The flock has also been exposed to mycoplasma gallisepticum, though she only ever had mild symptoms and never outwardly presented symptoms after this was treated last year/late 2021. None of our hens or ducks have been laying eggs lately, likely due to foxes in the area unsettling them and causing stress. No changes otherwise to their usual routine.
I know that it's impossible to determine an accurate cause without a necropsy, but I thought I'd ask here for some advice and thoughts. Does this sound familiar to a disease or condition that we may have missed, or does it sound like a case of sudden death? She was about 2 and a half to 3 years old. We had an unwell silkie die last year similarly (convulsions/tensing) but she was genuinely unwell days prior to passing, with no limpness or being unable to stand as symptoms.
It really is baffling us!
I'm sure it wasn't anything you did. Keep an eye on the rest of your flock and enjoy them. 
