I still have to feed my puzzling silkie, Thunderhead. He acts like a normal chicken, but doesn't do much more than peck at food without swallowing it. He's been on Corid, antibiotics, had surgery to get the feeding tube he swallowed out of his crop, and has no symptoms of anything anymore. He's gained back the weight he lost thanks to handfeeding, and has normal chicken poops, but I do have to watch him for dehydration. The vet wonders if it's neurological or possibly depression since he's been alone. So, since there are no symptoms of any illness, I brought over Ella to stay with him. She's a little five month old pullet who didn't really hang out with anyone in the coop and is way too timid to try to bully anybody. She really likes him and they're never very far from each other in their pen in my mud room. In fact, she gets upset when I take him out to feed him, calling loudly until I put him back. Then she pecks him gently on the back and rubs her head all over him. Thunderhead has started drinking a bit on his own, but not eating yet. He's happier, though. He was so quiet and just hung around in the back corner of the pen preening and looking around. He's a lot more active since she joined him. Now if she could just teach him that food is very good to put in your mouth and swallow because I'm beginning to wonder if this is neurological.
