Silkies - They’re simply SPECTACULAR!

[ForTheLoveOfSilkies]

I am absolutely beside myself right now!

This morning I realized my dear sweet Minette didn't come out to eat. I went into the coop and found her behind the block steps for the roosts. I wasn't sure if she got trapped/wedged while hiding from a bully or if she was hiding because something was wrong. I got her out but she seemed reluctant to go outside so I figured maybe it was a bully situation. I took her out and set her down by the water bowl. She drank quite a bit of water like she was really thirsty. I watched her for about 10 minutes. She mingled with the others and poked at food here and there but didn't seem really keen on eating. I left her with her flock mates and intended to check on her again later. Only I got busy with work and forgot! This evening (around 12 hrs later) I was outside with my husband. It was dusk and all the chickens had already gone into their coops.... That's when I noticed poor Minette laying on the ground in her run. I ran to her and was certain she was dead. I picked her up and she started moving very weakly.

I have her inside the house right now. She is laying on a heating pad. I have no clue what is wrong with her but I'm so worried she is going to die. Out of desperation, I syringed a bit of Gatorade, amoxicillan, and mineral oil into her mouth. She is hardly moving at all.

Tomorrow I can pick up some Nutri-Drench which will be better than the Gatorade. I just don't know what to do to save her.



ETA - I'm too late. Despite my best efforts, it isn't enough... My little Minette has passed. Heartbroken

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Oh nooo! That's so sad seems like it was fairly quick to happen, unfortunately chickens hide sickness well so it's hard to know what was wrong with poor little Minette. Hopefully nothing contagious, better keep an eye on the others and maybe add some poultry vitamins in water for extra boost just in case?

 

[ForTheLoveOfSilkies]

Hi,
Im not a Hater, but never had one, though we had a gal working for us who was OBSESSED over her silkies. I’m curious ... I think one of my new hatches might be half silkie. I’ll enjoy the discussions

Pretty hard to not get obsessed over them such fluffiness! .. what is the other half breed or your Silkie cross new hatchlings?

 

[AngBantamLuv]

I am absolutely beside myself right now!

This morning I realized my dear sweet Minette didn't come out to eat. I went into the coop and found her behind the block steps for the roosts. I wasn't sure if she got trapped/wedged while hiding from a bully or if she was hiding because something was wrong. I got her out but she seemed reluctant to go outside so I figured maybe it was a bully situation. I took her out and set her down by the water bowl. She drank quite a bit of water like she was really thirsty. I watched her for about 10 minutes. She mingled with the others and poked at food here and there but didn't seem really keen on eating. I left her with her flock mates and intended to check on her again later. Only I got busy with work and forgot! This evening (around 12 hrs later) I was outside with my husband. It was dusk and all the chickens had already gone into their coops.... That's when I noticed poor Minette laying on the ground in her run. I ran to her and was certain she was dead. I picked her up and she started moving very weakly.

I have her inside the house right now. She is laying on a heating pad. I have no clue what is wrong with her but I'm so worried she is going to die. Out of desperation, I syringed a bit of Gatorade, amoxicillan, and mineral oil into her mouth. She is hardly moving at all.

Tomorrow I can pick up some Nutri-Drench which will be better than the Gatorade. I just don't know what to do to save her.



ETA - I'm too late. Despite my best efforts, it isn't enough... My little Minette has passed. Heartbroken

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I'm really sorry.. its so painful when a pet dies i had a close call with one silkie, she was also lethargic, would drink but not eat, sleepy eyes, and through the fluff i figured out her crop was impacted. I was able to entice her to eat some yolk covered grit and sat with her.. it took a full day of that same behavior and giving her water before she recovered. It sounds so similar though, she wouldn't stand, just looked sickly. Unfortunately chickens systems are so simple, one issue in one spot has quick cascading effects, we can't necessarily fix them all. I'm so sorry again. I know from your posts she was so special ❤

 

[LadiesAndJane]

I am absolutely beside myself right now!

This morning I realized my dear sweet Minette didn't come out to eat. I went into the coop and found her behind the block steps for the roosts. I wasn't sure if she got trapped/wedged while hiding from a bully or if she was hiding because something was wrong. I got her out but she seemed reluctant to go outside so I figured maybe it was a bully situation. I took her out and set her down by the water bowl. She drank quite a bit of water like she was really thirsty. I watched her for about 10 minutes. She mingled with the others and poked at food here and there but didn't seem really keen on eating. I left her with her flock mates and intended to check on her again later. Only I got busy with work and forgot! This evening (around 12 hrs later) I was outside with my husband. It was dusk and all the chickens had already gone into their coops.... That's when I noticed poor Minette laying on the ground in her run. I ran to her and was certain she was dead. I picked her up and she started moving very weakly.

I have her inside the house right now. She is laying on a heating pad. I have no clue what is wrong with her but I'm so worried she is going to die. Out of desperation, I syringed a bit of Gatorade, amoxicillan, and mineral oil into her mouth. She is hardly moving at all.

Tomorrow I can pick up some Nutri-Drench which will be better than the Gatorade. I just don't know what to do to save her.



ETA - I'm too late. Despite my best efforts, it isn't enough... My little Minette has passed. Heartbroken

View attachment 2710406

I am so sorry for your loss
She was a beautiful girl.
It is so sad when they die so suddenly, for no apparent reason. I sympathize completely. I know you did what you could for her and despite our best efforts, sometimes they die anyway.

 

[TJAnonymous]

DH thinks she went behind the blocks for a quite place to die where she wouldn't be bullied. I know chickens don't advertise their illness but I still feel like I should have known. Like I didn't pay close enough attention.

Several years ago I had a pony that I was boarding on someone else's property, along with another horse. We would go out to the property at least once a week but for the most part, we relied on the property owner to feed and care for our horses. One day I went out to feed our paint horse and remember the pony seemed really insistent for attention. I just kind of brushed him off. A few days later, we received notice that he had died. I went out to look at the body and was horrified to see he was skin & bones. I have never forgiven myself for not noticing his condition.... I SHOULD have known. I should have seen that he wasn't being fed properly and needed care. He was my horse, my responsibility....not the property owner's. I will carry that guilt and remorse to my grave.

Because of that situation, I see Minette's death through a slightly different filter. I realize the situations are different. I see my chickens every day (all throughout the day) and I'm always looking out for things that seem out of place. But sometimes we get in a hurry or life gets in the way. Like yesterday. I knew something was off because Minette was hiding in the coop instead of out with the others. I should have taken more precautions. Maybe brought her inside....watched her more closely. I LOGICALLY know it might not have made a difference, but at least I wouldn't feel this guilt that I didn't do enough.

 

[LadiesAndJane]

DH thinks she went behind the blocks for a quite place to die where she wouldn't be bullied. I know chickens don't advertise their illness but I still feel like I should have known. Like I didn't pay close enough attention.

Several years ago I had a pony that I was boarding on someone else's property, along with another horse. We would go out to the property at least once a week but for the most part, we relied on the property owner to feed and care for our horses. One day I went out to feed our paint horse and remember the pony seemed really insistent for attention. I just kind of brushed him off. A few days later, we received notice that he had died. I went out to look at the body and was horrified to see he was skin & bones. I have never forgiven myself for not noticing his condition.... I SHOULD have known. I should have seen that he wasn't being fed properly and needed care. He was my horse, my responsibility....not the property owner's. I will carry that guilt and remorse to my grave.

Because of that situation, I see Minette's death through a slightly different filter. I realize the situations are different. I see my chickens every day (all throughout the day) and I'm always looking out for things that seem out of place. But sometimes we get in a hurry or life gets in the way. Like yesterday. I knew something was off because Minette was hiding in the coop instead of out with the others. I should have taken more precautions. Maybe brought her inside....watched her more closely. I LOGICALLY know it might not have made a difference, but at least I wouldn't feel this guilt that I didn't do enough.

I think we have all done things or did not do things, that we regret. We are all just trying to do our best here on earth every day that we are here.
Animals die, people die. It is often beyond our control and all we can do is keep trying to do better every day.
Be kind to yourself. You clearly love your animals.

 

[LadiesAndJane]

Well, the bantam coop young ones are all getting along pretty well. The little pullets are at the low end of the pecking order for now anyway. They are still quite small. They have each other which is nice. I am sure I will have to move the boys at some point, but so far they are all doing fine. Still have to put them in the coop at night, as they have not figured that out yet. Hanabi is the same age as the two new girls, but she has to hang out with little Himawari, that is not quite ready to be outside at night yet. They still have heat in their spot on the front porch at night. They get to go out in the tractor if the weather is good during the day.
I suddenly lost my one year old Silver Laced English Orpington, Lacey, early this morning. She was making distress noises at about 2:00 am then was gone at 4:00 am. Do not need to go into details here, as I have another thread about her under emergencies. She was a wonderful bird, and I will miss her. Would have been one years old later this month.
Makes me grateful for the ones I do have, so went out and took these photos.

 

[AngBantamLuv]

Well, the bantam coop young ones are all getting along pretty well. The little pullets are at the low end of the pecking order for now anyway. They are still quite small. They have each other which is nice. I am sure I will have to move the boys at some point, but so far they are all doing fine. Still have to put them in the coop at night, as they have not figured that out yet. Hanabi is the same age as the two new girls, but she has to hang out with little Himawari, that is not quite ready to be outside at night yet. They still have heat in their spot on the front porch at night. They get to go out in the tractor if the weather is good during the day.
I suddenly lost my one year old Silver Laced English Orpington, Lacey, early this morning. She was making distress noises at about 2:00 am then was gone at 4:00 am. Do not need to go into details here, as I have another thread about her under emergencies. She was a wonderful bird, and I will miss her. Would have been one years old later this month.
Makes me grateful for the ones I do have, so went out and took these photos.

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Im sorry about Lacey's passing i get so worried when i hear of these younger chickens passing... i only have my 3. But even if you have more, they are each so special. Sorry again.

Absolutely love all your other fluffies, so beautiful!

 

[LynnaePB]

Well, the bantam coop young ones are all getting along pretty well. The little pullets are at the low end of the pecking order for now anyway. They are still quite small. They have each other which is nice. I am sure I will have to move the boys at some point, but so far they are all doing fine. Still have to put them in the coop at night, as they have not figured that out yet. Hanabi is the same age as the two new girls, but she has to hang out with little Himawari, that is not quite ready to be outside at night yet. They still have heat in their spot on the front porch at night. They get to go out in the tractor if the weather is good during the day.
I suddenly lost my one year old Silver Laced English Orpington, Lacey, early this morning. She was making distress noises at about 2:00 am then was gone at 4:00 am. Do not need to go into details here, as I have another thread about her under emergencies. She was a wonderful bird, and I will miss her. Would have been one years old later this month.
Makes me grateful for the ones I do have, so went out and took these photos.

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Oh no I'm so sorry you lost Lacey.

I've had a few pass suddenly as well. Thankfully in all the cases of that happening all the flock mates were unaffected, I hope the rest of your flock are all well too!

The babies are looking beautiful! I'm so happy to hear the young bantams are integrating pretty well with each other.

 

[ForTheLoveOfSilkies]

I'm on edge!.. still don't know if Easter is a boy or girl.. some updated pics.. he/she has white on wing tips..