Silkie thread!

[Sassysouth]

It looks like I'm going to lose my white Silkie pullet today. She has never kept up in growth with my partridge pullet, who is now laying eggs. She's always been scrawny and small for her age. Then last week she stopped eating, showed signs of laboured breathing and after a couple of days developed a bit of watery diarrhea. Until yesterday I was able to get her to eat a mix of Kaytee exact handfeeding formula and layer crumbs, and she was drinking on her own. Then this morning I found her lying on her side. She can raise her head but that's it. The partridge pullet and all the rest of my birds are fine.

It's too bad she got sick at Christmas time, the worst time of the year to try to order anything online. Last week I ordered a broad spectrum antibiotic/vitamin preparation and then spent two days calling local vets, feed stores and bird suppliers but nobody was able to sell what I needed. The antibiotic I ordered won't get here until tomorrow at the earliest. I will keep it on hand for the future.

I've learned a lesson at least. I'm going to research and order some commonly used antibiotics and other medications to keep on hand for future infections and illnesses, a sort of "chicken first aid kit". I already have coccidiosis medication, dewormer and external parasite treatment. I'm going to check the health section for suggestions of meds I should keep on hand.

I am sorry. I lost a Silkie and B Cochin the same way, but they were younger. Never grew like the others and lots crying in the beginning. I think something was wrong internally and nothing we could have done would change the outcome. That doesn’t make the pain less I know.

 

[Hinotori]

It looks like I'm going to lose my white Silkie pullet today. She has never kept up in growth with my partridge pullet, who is now laying eggs. She's always been scrawny and small for her age. Then last week she stopped eating, showed signs of laboured breathing and after a couple of days developed a bit of watery diarrhea. Until yesterday I was able to get her to eat a mix of Kaytee exact handfeeding formula and layer crumbs, and she was drinking on her own. Then this morning I found her lying on her side. She can raise her head but that's it. The partridge pullet and all the rest of my birds are fine.

It's too bad she got sick at Christmas time, the worst time of the year to try to order anything online. Last week I ordered a broad spectrum antibiotic/vitamin preparation and then spent two days calling local vets, feed stores and bird suppliers but nobody was able to sell what I needed. The antibiotic I ordered won't get here until tomorrow at the earliest. I will keep it on hand for the future.

I've learned a lesson at least. I'm going to research and order some commonly used antibiotics and other medications to keep on hand for future infections and illnesses, a sort of "chicken first aid kit". I already have coccidiosis medication, dewormer and external parasite treatment. I'm going to check the health section for suggestions of meds I should keep on hand.

Dang I'm sorry. It sucks the hardest when we can only watch

 

[FirstTimeClucky]

Dang I'm sorry. It sucks the hardest when we can only watch

The good news is that she's still alive and somewhat improved. I've been syringe feeding her a mixture of Kaytee with a bit of organic yogurt every few hours. I put a heat lamp over her (but not too close) to add a bit of warmth. This morning she was lying flat on her side with her feet out and head down. Now she sits in a roosting position with her head up, though she lays it down when she sleeps. I feed her until her crop is full and check on her every couple of hours until her crop is empty again.

She'll get another feeding before bedtime and then we'll see what happens. If she's still alive tomorrow I'll continue the feedings. The medication is supposed to come tomorrow, but Canada Post isn't very reliable. They've been making excuses about Christmas delays since October.

 

[FirstTimeClucky]

Well, she passed away overnight. Her partridge "sister" is looking around the pen and calling for her. When I found them this morning, the partridge was sitting next to the white one's body. Normally the two of them would be roosting side by side on their perch. I feel sorry for her. I'm going to build a partition in the pen and put my bantam cochin in beside her for now. The cochin is a bit bossy and likes to peck, so they'll stay separated. This is not a good time of year to find another Silkie, but I'll keep my eye on the local ads.

Of course the medicine is on the postal truck for delivery, so it will come today after all. I have a coturnix quail with a swollen eye, so I'll give some of it to her and keep the rest on hand for the next time someone gets sick.

 

[Hinotori]

Well, she passed away overnight. Her partridge "sister" is looking around the pen and calling for her. When I found them this morning, the partridge was sitting next to the white one's body. Normally the two of them would be roosting side by side on their perch. I feel sorry for her. I'm going to build a partition in the pen and put my bantam cochin in beside her for now. The cochin is a bit bossy and likes to peck, so they'll stay separated. This is not a good time of year to find another Silkie, but I'll keep my eye on the local ads.

Of course the medicine is on the postal truck for delivery, so it will come today after all. I have a coturnix quail with a swollen eye, so I'll give some of it to her and keep the rest on hand for the next time someone gets sick.

I'm so sorry.

 

[FishMtFarm]

We had some new babies hatch under a Silkie hen over Christmas. 2 splash olive eggers, 1 black Silkie, 2 blue silkies, 1 white Silkie, 1 silver white Silkie, and 1 Partridge Silkie.

 

[sue25]

Well, she passed away overnight. Her partridge "sister" is looking around the pen and calling for her. When I found them this morning, the partridge was sitting next to the white one's body. Normally the two of them would be roosting side by side on their perch. I feel sorry for her. I'm going to build a partition in the pen and put my bantam cochin in beside her for now. The cochin is a bit bossy and likes to peck, so they'll stay separated. This is not a good time of year to find another Silkie, but I'll keep my eye on the local ads.

Of course the medicine is on the postal truck for delivery, so it will come today after all. I have a coturnix quail with a swollen eye, so I'll give some of it to her and keep the rest on hand for the next time someone gets sick.

I feel sad for you. So sorry she didn't make it. I have followed you for a while with your silkies.

 

[FirstTimeClucky]

I feel sad for you. So sorry she didn't make it. I have followed you for a while with your silkies.

Wow, I didn't realize anyone was paying attention to my ramblings!

This morning I was awakened by the triumphant egg song of Ms Partridge. I checked her pen and she was tucked away in a corner, busy building a nest by pulling a neat heap of shavings around herself. She was even picking up shavings and dumping them on her back. So far when she lays an egg she just dumps it in a corner and forgets about it. I was curious to know if she'd try to incubate this one. I left for a while and came back, to find an egg lying in her nest but she had already wandered off and forgotten about it.

Yesterday I put up the partition in her pen and moved my Bantam Cochin hen there to (sort of keep) the Partridge company. Before that they were in separate pens but could see each other. Queen BC doesn't appreciate interlopers, when I tried to introduce her to the Silkies after 2 weeks of sharing a pen with a partition, she immediately went after the Silkies. I even tried introducing them in neutral ground (the bathtub) a few times but QBC wasn't having it. So hopefully being on either side of a partition will do as company until I can get another Silkie.

 

[Hinotori]

Even my non broodies take care making nests. I have shavings in their houses but find straw and grass used to make nests. The grass they pull through the fence. Straw is from their run.

Give her a while to go broody. A nest with eggs helps encourage them. Mine always take advantage of me going off for a few days to go broody

 

[FirstTimeClucky]

While doing research to choose a treatment for my white Silkie who recently passed, I found this website with a listing of poultry diseases. It's pretty handy if you're trying to figure out what might be wrong with your chickens, or if you want to learn about diseases you've heard of but want to know more about.

http://www.thepoultrysite.com/diseaseinfo/