*UPDATE*To cold for young silkie?? She is gone...

[daddysgirlz]

She is not looking so great since the cold... was it to early to put her out there with the others?? Now she is sitting back on her butt and is very lathargic...how old should they be to go outside in the cold. I just got her from a silkie breeder that told me it would be ok to put her out in an unheated house with three other silkies that are 8 months old.Temp was 31 degees this morning when I got up at 7am. Should I bring her in??

 

[MissJenny]

So how old is she? And of course, by all means bring her in -- some breeders will tell you whatever you want to hear, so it is CRUCIAL is count on your own instincts to keep your birds safe.

Jenny

 

[daddysgirlz]

she is 3.5 months old...thats what the breeder told me....I have her inside now on a blanket but she does not look good at all..now she falls to one side and her head tilts way back then she falls over...I picked her up and set her resting straight..she seems to be sleeping now...I dont think she will make it throught the night...

 

[pbjmaker]

She should bew fully feathered by 3.5 months and able to handle the weather if she lives in a coop at night. I have a young silkie out in my coop right now that looks to be 3-4 months old and s/he is fine. (Got her at an auction so don't know exact age) But s/he has other birds to snuggle with. My frizzles and the silkie all sleep on the floor in a heap.

Could it be sick with something else?

I hope yours makes it through the night!

 

[daddysgirlz]

Gosh I dont think she would be sick..she has been fine since I got her last week...I just got cold here..last night 30 degrees. She was really slow this morning and perked up through the day...then tonight I went to check on her and she was laying on her side. I even trimmed her hair to day cuz I though she would do better if she could see. Maybe she did not like what she saw...

 

[MissJenny]

What you describe sounds like it might be a vitamin deficiency. Do you have any children's liquid Poly-Vi-Sol WITHOUT iron? You can get it at any drug store. (What you describe sounds a bit like "wry neck"... but I feel I am missing something.)

Also, to help warm her up from the inside you can give her warm plain oatmeal, cream of wheat or rice.

For future reference, when you buy birds at an auction, swap meet, flea market or private breeder, it is crucial that they be kept in quarantine from your current flock so they don't bring unforeseen diseases into your flock.

I didn't see what other kinds of birds you have -- silkies do not roost, so if she is on the floor by herself then she has no one to cuddle with which would help her keep warm.

Jenny

 

[daddysgirlz]

She has three other silkies to cuddle with....all was good until the cold weather last night. When I picked her up at the breeder she was in a small shed with a heat lamp and alot of other chicks...I really dont think she had ever been subjected to any cold. She does not respond to eat or drink as of yet.....

 

[daddysgirlz]

I just checked on her...she is gone....

 

[yomama]

I'm so sorry.

It's even harder when you don't know what was going on. Be sure to keep an eye on your others, since this one was in contact with them. I'd be sure to let the breeder know too, so this hopefully doesn't happen to anyone else.