ForTheLoveOfSilkies
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@DarleneE are going to get a friend for Ebby?
Silkie thread!
- Thread starter americana-chick
- Start date
LynnaePB
Free Ranging
I think Silkielee already covered things pretty well (and personally I wouldn't be surprised if it was neurological) but I thought I should mention the specific vitamin deficiencies silkies can often have problems with.
Vitamin E deficiencies are fairly common in silkies and can be helped with making sure your birds get extra vitamin E and selenium (the selenium is needed to help absorb the vitamin E). Out of the two common deficiencies I'd think your little girl would be more likely to have the vitamin E deficiency as it can cause involuntary movements. There is a selenium + vitamin E gel made for goats that a lot of silkie breeders use to treat wry neck that might be helpful. It comes in a tube and a couple pea sized drops a day may might help. I've also heard Sunflower seeds are a good natural source of vitamin E and selenium. I found my recent treatment of a silkie with wry neck was more effective when I added in some extra vitamin E along with the selenium gel (From a vitamin E capsule made for humans, 400+ iu seemed to be good). I mix the gel and the oil from the E capsule and give it via a 1 cc syringe. Vitamin B deficiencies are also sometimes a problem in silkies so when I treat for a suspected vitamin deficiency I also crush up half a B complex pill made for humans and mix it in with the E and selenium and give that once a day.
The poly vi sol without iron isn't bad but the above treatment along with it should be more helpful as I do not believe poly vi sol has the selenium needed to help with vitamin e absorption and it doesn't have enough of the other vitamins to help combat a deficiency very well.
I've actually seen that exact swaying movement in several of my young silkies before. I don't know if it was a vitamin deficiency or if it was caused by neurogical damage from a head injury but I treated it like a vitamin deficiency giving the extra vitamins for a couple weeks and it always got better after awhile. The quick shaking of the head is something I see in pretty much all my silkies as they mature (I think it takes them awhile to adjust to their crest as it grows).
Good luck with your little ones!
I think Silkielee already covered things pretty well (and personally I wouldn't be surprised if it was neurological) but I thought I should mention the specific vitamin deficiencies silkies can often have problems with.
Vitamin E deficiencies are fairly common in silkies and can be helped with making sure your birds get extra vitamin E and selenium (the selenium is needed to help absorb the vitamin E). Out of the two common deficiencies I'd think your little girl would be more likely to have the vitamin E deficiency as it can cause involuntary movements. There is a selenium + vitamin E gel made for goats that a lot of silkie breeders use to treat wry neck that might be helpful. It comes in a tube and a couple pea sized drops a day may might help. I've also heard Sunflower seeds are a good natural source of vitamin E and selenium. I found my recent treatment of a silkie with wry neck was more effective when I added in some extra vitamin E along with the selenium gel (From a vitamin E capsule made for humans, 400+ iu seemed to be good). I mix the gel and the oil from the E capsule and give it via a 1 cc syringe. Vitamin B deficiencies are also sometimes a problem in silkies so when I treat for a suspected vitamin deficiency I also crush up half a B complex pill made for humans and mix it in with the E and selenium and give that once a day.
The poly vi sol without iron isn't bad but the above treatment along with it should be more helpful as I do not believe poly vi sol has the selenium needed to help with vitamin e absorption and it doesn't have enough of the other vitamins to help combat a deficiency very well.
I've actually seen that exact swaying movement in several of my young silkies before. I don't know if it was a vitamin deficiency or if it was caused by neurogical damage from a head injury but I treated it like a vitamin deficiency giving the extra vitamins for a couple weeks and it always got better after awhile. The quick shaking of the head is something I see in pretty much all my silkies as they mature (I think it takes them awhile to adjust to their crest as it grows).
Good luck with your little ones!
Thank you so much for this information! I have ordered the Vit E and Selenium for goats. I just want to be sure I'm understanding correctly. Are you saying that I should give a pea sized amount of this to her once a day? I don't have the Poly Vi Sol yet as even though I paid for 2 days shipping they're taking forever in sending it. So can or should I continue giving Nutri Drench to them in their water and wet mash as well as this new thing when it arrives? Will that be too much vitamins? I don't want to overdo it either. Can you please tell me what exactly you would give (keeping in mind I'm planning on giving the Vit E and Selenium formula you mentioned) exactly... how much of each thing and how often?? I'm so sorry to sound so stupid but I'm just not clear on what I should give her and don't want to cause her more harm by giving the wrong stuff or the wrong amount.
Thank you again soooooooo much for your post and I'm sorry to have to bother you for this again but I'm truly a little lost.
LynnaePB
Free Ranging
No worries my last post was probably a little confusing, hopefully this will help.
If I was in your situation I'd give a pea sized drop of the Vit E and Selenium gel along with a capsules worth of vitamin E (400 iu or more) twice a day. You can put the drop of gel right into their mouth and you can squeeze the vitamin E oil into their mouth but I worry about aspiration so I mix the two and then give via a 1 cc syringe making sure to get the syringe past their tracheal opening (it is pretty easy to avoid if you just put the syringe a little down the throat).
I would also consider adding half a crushed B complex pill to one of the mixtures once a day just in case there is a possible vitamin B deficiency.
I wouldn't really worry about giving the Nutri Drench or the poly vi sol once you've got the goat gel.
1-2 weeks of vitamin treatment will hopefully help if it is indeed a vitamin deficiency.
If you'd like a simpler treatment you might be ok with just giving the pea sized drop of vitamin E and Selenium gel twice a day as I've heard of many breeders just giving this and having successful results as well. Some breeders give three pea sized drops a day but just be a bit careful with anything containing selenium as it is easier to overdose than the vitamin E or B.
This is the treatment that I use for wry neck or whenever I see symptoms that may point to a vitamin deficiency. Effectiveness seems to vary but I've never lost a bird while giving this treatment.
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No worries my last post was probably a little confusing, hopefully this will help.
If I was in your situation I'd give a pea sized drop of the Vit E and Selenium gel along with a capsules worth of vitamin E (400 iu or more) twice a day. You can put the drop of gel right into their mouth and you can squeeze the vitamin E oil into their mouth but I worry about aspiration so I mix the two and then give via a 1 cc syringe making sure to get the syringe past their tracheal opening (it is pretty easy to avoid if you just put the syringe a little down the throat).
I would also consider adding half a crushed B complex pill to one of the mixtures once a day just in case there is a possible vitamin B deficiency.
I wouldn't really worry about giving the Nutri Drench or the poly vi sol once you've got the goat gel.
1-2 weeks of vitamin treatment will hopefully help if it is indeed a vitamin deficiency.
If you'd like a simpler treatment you might be ok with just giving the pea sized drop of vitamin E and Selenium gel twice a day as I've heard of many breeders just giving this and having successful results as well. Some breeders give three pea sized drops a day but just be a bit careful with anything containing selenium as it is easier to overdose than the vitamin E or B.
Oh thank you that's much more clear! I will follow your instructions and I'm praying this will work.
No worries my last post was probably a little confusing, hopefully this will help.
If I was in your situation I'd give a pea sized drop of the Vit E and Selenium gel along with a capsules worth of vitamin E (400 iu or more) twice a day. You can put the drop of gel right into their mouth and you can squeeze the vitamin E oil into their mouth but I worry about aspiration so I mix the two and then give via a 1 cc syringe making sure to get the syringe past their tracheal opening (it is pretty easy to avoid if you just put the syringe a little down the throat).
I would also consider adding half a crushed B complex pill to one of the mixtures once a day just in case there is a possible vitamin B deficiency.
I wouldn't really worry about giving the Nutri Drench or the poly vi sol once you've got the goat gel.
1-2 weeks of vitamin treatment will hopefully help if it is indeed a vitamin deficiency.
If you'd like a simpler treatment you might be ok with just giving the pea sized drop of vitamin E and Selenium gel twice a day as I've heard of many breeders just giving this and having successful results as well. Some breeders give three pea sized drops a day but just be a bit careful with anything containing selenium as it is easier to overdose than the vitamin E or B.
This is the treatment that I use for wry neck or whenever I see symptoms that may point to a vitamin deficiency. Effectiveness seems to vary but I've never lost a bird while giving this treatment.
Thank you so very much! I will follow this treatment! This is much clearer to me now! I really appreciate all your time and help!
Bless you for coming forward to help my babies!
Note: I just dosed them both with .2ml of Safeguard in case they have worms.. esp gapeworms which I understand also will make them keep opening their mouths?? I will give it for 5 days, a full course of it.
I looked closely at their ears today and they, well Minnie had some dry hard stuff that looks like it was blocking her ear?? So I took a cotton ball with some ear cleansing solution and tried to remove as much of it as I could so the ear looks cleaner now. It's not blocked like it was anyway. I still didn't see any mites though? So just wanted to update this to all of you helping me with this to see your thoughts.
Please let me know what other thoughts you may have after reading this??!!
I thank everyone trying to help so very much!! You guys are great!!
PS: I am still using nutri drench in the water along with some probiotics in it as well.. and giving Vit E in the wet mash I give them everyday with just a teeny sprinkle of selenium in it.
I looked closely at their ears today and they, well Minnie had some dry hard stuff that looks like it was blocking her ear?? So I took a cotton ball with some ear cleansing solution and tried to remove as much of it as I could so the ear looks cleaner now. It's not blocked like it was anyway. I still didn't see any mites though? So just wanted to update this to all of you helping me with this to see your thoughts.
Please let me know what other thoughts you may have after reading this??!!
I thank everyone trying to help so very much!! You guys are great!!
PS: I am still using nutri drench in the water along with some probiotics in it as well.. and giving Vit E in the wet mash I give them everyday with just a teeny sprinkle of selenium in it.
Our new babies growing so fast -- Blue Partridge & regular Gold Partridge
SUZU & GINNY
SUZU & GINNY
My LF Silkie Cockerel..
- Oct 15, 2010
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Handsome. Silkies were our first Chickens. They were so loveable. They did not furnish too many eggs....but were fun to have. I do miss them. Aria
He is fantastic!
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