Something is wrong!

[FluffyPuff]

My 5 month old silkie is stargazing and twitching his head all over the place. I just noticed it this morning. He wasn't like that yesterday. He seems to also have some swelling in the head. He is in the top story of the coop while everyone else is down below looking for leftovers. I'm very worried about him and need some advice! Should I separate my seemingly healthy birds? I should also add that this has never happened to him before and no changes to his coop have been made. He is at the top of the pecking order so I don't think it's from being picked on. He has no external injuries from what I can tell. He's normally very active. There's only 3 chickens in the coop counting him and the others are very sweet pullets. None of the pullets have started laying so everyone is still on chick feed. They get let out almost everyday and the coop has plenty of space for just those three young silkies.

 

[FluffyPuff]

I just remembered that a few days ago I fed them some scrambled eggs from the EEs would that have caused it?

 

[minihorse927]

No, the eggs did not cause this. Is he has a swelling on his head he has been pecked or hit his head somewhere and the pressure from that is causing this. This is typically known as wry neck and can be corrected when it shows up for no apparent reason with some poly vi sol given every day 2 to 3 times a day for several weeks. I am not sure if poly will help yours as it may be injury realted. Is he sick, sneezing, coughin, runny nosy, eyes swollen?

 

[FluffyPuff]

Eyes are a little swollen but not much and his skin looks pale like almost a grayish color instead of the normal blue black.

 

[FluffyPuff]

We took him to the vet last night since it started to get worse. They gave him a concoction of antibiotics and said he didn't have a big chance of survival but that if he started to improve right away that the meds worked. So finger crossed! I was hoping to breed him when he's older, can wry neck be genetic? If it is I will not be breeding him.

 

[FluffyPuff]

Quickly going down hill....he can no longer stand and his neck is pretty much dead. I'm afraid euthanasia seems the most humane thing to do at this point. What's the best way for a very light weight bird to go? Keep in mind he's not a chick but he's still only 5 months. He's probably 2 pounds or less.

 

[FluffyPuff]

RIP Blackie

 

[JensChickies]

I'm sorry, putting a bird down is never an easy task. You did the right thing.

 

[chicapee]

Sorry for you loss. That is so sad.

 

[CherriesBrood]

Aww I, sorry this happened. I had something similar to this happen to some of my chickens. Thankfully we caught it in time and no one died, but I'm sorry I couldn't have told you what we treated them with before blackie died. Again I'm so sorry that this happened.