- Apr 8, 2014
- 18
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I got my 2 silkies last monday but now both are not fine and not active ,can anyone help.me plz what should i do my silkie cant stand and not eating with interest 

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My silkie also have a flu
I'm so sorry.It's awful to see this. When one of mine was less than a week old and went lethargic on me people told me to get some 'sav-A-chick products' Electrolyte and Probiotic (got mine at TSC). You mix it in 1 gallon of water(can put one of each in together) I'd dip my finger in the water and put her beak in the drop.
She slowly perked up and was able to walk and drink and eat on her own.
Good luck.![]()
Poly vi sol for infants WITHOUT IRON! works wonders for silkie chicks with vitamin deficiencies. I put it in my silkies water for the first 6 weeks. Just a drop with some apple cider vinegar. For wry neck full dose of a drop on the beak a couple times a day should help. I have never had wry neck in my flock, but I have heard poly vi sol is the best thing for it. It is in the pharmacy section of walmart or cvs, walgreens etc.
Ok! And I can leave it with them 24/7 next to their food, and not worry about them eating too much of it?
I feed fermented feed and just sprinkle some grit on top of it. I don't think they will eat too much, but you can always watch them to be sure.
There are a lot of vitamin products for chicks but I chose to go the Poly-Vi-Sol no iron children's vitamins for my chicks, juveniles and adults. Just one drop on the side of the beak away from nostril and make sure the chick licks it off with it's tongue. I like to know my chickens are getting a decent dose as vitamin water is not monitored well - some chicks drink more, some less, and some none at all. I had a juvie like that so made sure to use droppers for water and a drop of vitamin for perking up. I usually give 1 drop of vitamin 2-3x weekly to each chicken - that way I don't have to wonder how much vitamin water they drank during the day. Besides, vitamin water is expensive to toss out for fresh every day. Just me and what I do.
I think it is also too hot and they are getting dehydrated. Raise your light and see how they do.
Medicated feed blocks thiamine, not niacin. It is typically selenium and vitamin E deficiency that causes wryneck in chicks. Niacin deficiency in ducks and geese can cause leg problems. Wow that person you talked to really knows how to take a bunch of information, mix it in a jar and pour out whatever happens to be floating at the top!
Have you tried the fermented feed?
Even moistened feed Wil help them hydrate.
Medicated feed is a thiamine inhibitor and it is widely believed that thiamine ( B1 ) is along with selenium (vit E) the main contributor to wry neck. Most people recommend polyvisol as a blanket fix. It is also easier to administer .
You can continue the medicated feed, if you get them hydrated and cooled down a bit, they likely won't have the same lethargy and wry neck problems (hopefully anyway).
I know the polyvisol is very expensive, but poultry nutri-drench has directions for putting it in their water as a daily/weekly supplement as well as being able to administer straight to weak/lethargic/otherwise sick chickens.
I've never used the polyvisol so can't really comment on its use.
I picked up some pedialite tonight to mix in with the recipe this lady shared on the internet. She used the pedialite ice pop kinds saying that they lasted longer so she could use them one at a time and store as needed. They are all different flavors and she said her chicks seem to like the taste. Then I got the poly vitamins, then I also got some of that Vit-al from the feed store that says on it that its suppose to restore electrolites and had a bunch of vitamins in it. Its a powder you mix in with a gallon of water. I tried that to, only adding a small pinch of it to their 1quart waterer. Would that stuff be sufficient enough to use everyday?
Honestly I am not sure, i havent picked up a thermometer like I probably should. I figured it cant be too hot because I put the lamp about a foot above their box (bucket) and the bucket is almost 3ft long so they could easily get away from the heat on the other end if needed. Their bedding feels slightly warm to the touch directly under the lamp so ive been thinking its perfect. ? How warm should it be for week old chicks? The bulb ive been using is a 250watt.
Chickens don't get the flu. What are their symptoms ?
What is the temperature of their brooder? What kind of food are you feeding? What kind of bedding are you using?
How old are they?
I don't even use a heat lamp anymore. When I did I used a 60 watt. Now I just use my Brinsea Ecoglow. My chicks like it a lot better!I saw them using the 250 watt bulb at the feed store, the babies were suffering heat trauma and dehydration.
I bought my light at Lowe's. It's a white box that has the red letters "passion" on it. When you open it, the bulb says "flood" on it. It is a 90 watt bulb and would probably work the same distance you have your current light.