Silkie thread!

[JoshU]

I have a silkie about 5 weeks. I just saw it doing something really strange. It was in the water trough I use for a couple chicks til they can be integrated. Anyway it is standing up and twisting its neck around constantly looking up at me but its neck is completely twisted. When i picked it up nothing seems wrong other than this. Even then its neck is all twisted. When I put it back down it twisted its neck until it fell down and did a roll. Can anyone tell me what the heck is wrong with this bird? Almost like a siezure the way it is torquing its neck. Never done this before. Crazy!!

 

[JoshU]

I have a silkie about 5 weeks. I just saw it doing something really strange. It was in the water trough I use for a couple chicks til they can be integrated. Anyway it is standing up and twisting its neck around constantly looking up at me but its neck is completely twisted. When i picked it up nothing seems wrong other than this. Even then its neck is all twisted. When I put it back down it twisted its neck until it fell down and did a roll. Can anyone tell me what the heck is wrong with this bird? Almost like a siezure the way it is torquing its neck. Never done this before. Crazy!!

Also, this bird was supposed to be show quality and I got it from ebay. It was born with only a total of 6 toes. 3 and 3. Could this bird just be doomed? Is it a genetic thing? I am just guessing because I have no idea what this is. I have hatched and raised well over a hundred birds but this one is a first. Thanks for any info you guys can give.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

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Quote: Yes, definitely not silver partridge; that would have no red at all.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote: Or with the stress of a move to a new home could be longer. So, she might lay tomorrow, and it might not be for quite awhile. I don;t think I would have taken babies from a hen that had been raising them for two weeks unless there was a DARN good reason. Immediately after hatching while she is still broody? Yes, If she starts attacking the chicks or not caring for them, Yes, but not is she is being a good mama. That's my opinion.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote: I love white downed chicks! Don't see that many anymore. Anyways, while PA might mean paint, it might mean something else (Phillip X Annette, Pen A, etc.), so I suggest contacting the breeder and asking. There are as many ways to mark the eggs as there are breeders; maybe even more.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote: No, partridge can come with quite some variation in colour patterns, and stripes are not exclusively partridge. Dark body light head is generally partridge, even without back stripes. http://www.the-coop.org/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=89291 has lots of photos and discussion on chick patterns and genetic symbols for what they carry.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote: Okay, the chick has one of several issues that are casueing stargazing/crook neck/several other names that are based upon the symptoms. A common cause is head injury, another common cause is encephalitis, another is ingesting bad food (aspergillosis or botulism), etc. Treatment is pretty much the same for all causes. Add vitamins, particularly B vitamins and E. For E get a vitamin that has selenium in the mix. Baby vitamins are a good start. Also, metacam or prednisone is helpful. Separate the chick so that the other birds won't over-tax and stress it with typical chick running around.

It is impossible to say that a chick, and even more so an egg, is show quality. The best you can say is that the parents were show quality or that it has the potential to be. Any breeder who claims they sell show quality eggs (as compared with saying they are selling eggs from their show quality flock) is someone to RUN from. Sorry you got taken by that line.

 

[JoshU]

Okay, the chick has one of several issues that are casueing stargazing/crook neck/several other names that are based upon the symptoms. A common cause is head injury, another common cause is encephalitis, another is ingesting bad food (aspergillosis or botulism), etc. Treatment is pretty much the same for all causes. Add vitamins, particularly B vitamins and E. For E get a vitamin that has selenium in the mix. Baby vitamins are a good start. Also, metacam or prednisone is helpful. Separate the chick so that the other birds won't over-tax and stress it with typical chick running around.

It is impossible to say that a chick, and even more so an egg, is show quality. The best you can say is that the parents were show quality or that it has the potential to be. Any breeder who claims they sell show quality eggs (as compared with saying they are selling eggs from their show quality flock) is someone to RUN from. Sorry you got taken by that line.

I understand the whole "show quality" thing. Just kinda ranting. lol. I will try the vitamins. I only have it with a sibling and both chicks are crazy when seperated so I think its a lot less stressful on both to leave them together. We will see.

 

[Fancy Feathers]

I love white downed chicks! Don't see that many anymore.

What is a white downed chick, what's the significance toward breeding?

I have one too, here's what it looked like at 3 weeks
Not a great picture - I was logging/taking notes He's fresh out of the shipping box!
Now he looks just like April's above. (I think they're related/ from the same breeder.

)

I ask because I'm not sure what I'm going to do with him - especially if he turns out to be a "he" as I'm suspecting he is!

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote: Only two isn't likely a problem; being in with a dozen or more would be.