UPDATE: W/ PHOTOS: I think my silkie is dying!

[festivefeet]

Hi there.

Today we went back to let our six chickens out to free range. When they all came out I noticed that my 5 month old silkie chicken was staggering around...leaning to and falling on his right side. He was falling a lot and staggering a lot. I am not sure what is going on with him. They stayed out for a bit. I went back a bit later to put them in for the night. The hens were all going in for the night. The run was pretty much empty except for the sillkie. He was on his back with his feet in the air. He kept moving his head around very strangely...like he was preening his feathers on his chest, but he wasn't. His feet were shaking as well. It's fall, so I thought maybe he was cold. He was not wet at all. It's about 45 degrees out right now. When I put him in the coop for the night, he staggered in. I walked around to look in the window to see what he was doing and he was in the coop entrance way (door shut) and he again was on his back doing the same thing he was doing out in the run.

I don't know what is happening. It's almost as if he is having a brain issue, like a stroke or something.

Does anyone have any advice? Or know what might be happening?

J.

 

[robin416]

There can be a wide range of things going on, especially when it comes to Silkies. Get him on E with selenium ASAP.

Silkies can have a very rough time if their feed is compromised, so check that first. Make sure its fresh, that the crumbles or pellets are firm and uniform in shape.

Then take some time to describe your set up, what you feed them, if you might have been having a niggling in the back of your brain that something was up with him.

 

[festivefeet]

Here is my coop/run:

Their food is fresh and it's Dumor Layer pellets (occasionally they get fresh veggies and fruit). He has never been the brightest of the chickens. He has always walked a bit strangely/clumsy like. We had an issue where he got wet and didn't go in to the coop at night with the others. When that happened I brought him in immediately to the house and he slept in a container all night after I dried him. Other than that, I can't think of anything.

J.

 

[robin416]

Have you checked the date on the bag? Usually its on the bottom tape. Trust me when I say this, do not assume that just because you just bought it from the feed store that its OK. Every time you open a bag check it, if something looks wrong then return it. I've had repeated problems with Dumor/Purina feeds. That's why I no longer feed them that brand.

He also should not be on layer. The extra calcium is hard on their kidneys but I don't think that is what is going on with him at the moment.

Make certain he's eating and drinking. Bring him in if you can to monitor droppings and intake of food and water.

 

[festivefeet]

I really don't have any way of giving him a different food. All the hens are on layer food. What food is best to feed the entire flock?

Jessica.

 

[Freckle Face Farm]

Also don't forget most silkies have their brain exposed if he bumped his head or another chicken pecked him..This could be your problem..I do recomend the vitamin E with selenium ...

 

[festivefeet]

Hi there.

I checked the food bag for the date and it says 9OCT16MFI. Does that mean the OCT 9, 2016 or OCT 16, 2009?

I just switched their food to pellets this past week. So that might be part of the problem. He has always been clumsy, but not like this. He is staggering to even stand and then lays down and convulses. I am almost wondering if it's to late to even do anything. I feel badly for him. I am going to bring him in the house with some crumbled food I have left over and give him that for now until TSC opens.

J.

 

[PortageGirl]

I can't tell you what his problem is, but I do want to reassure you that anyone who keeps a roo with their flock doesn't feed the rooster something different than the rest, which means he gets layer.

 

[Wanda]

I've heard feed is only good for 3 mos so that would make the date 16 Oct 09, not sure if that is the packaged date or expiration date. Some people feed Flock Raiser and make sure they have oyster shells or some form of calcium out for the layers, so they can regulate their intake. I have heard it is bad for young (not at POL) pullets to get too much calcium, never heard specifically about roosters but since the extra calcium is for producing good shells it may also apply to them.

Wanda

 

[robin416]

Chances are pretty good that he hasn't been eating. Birds hate change, some more than others. Mix him up some cooked oatmeal, give him some hard boiled egg, add some vitamins/electrolytes to his water. Do what ever you need to do to get some nutrition in him. If you have Avia Charge put some in the food.

Go back to crumbles, use the flock raiser as mentioned and provide your girls with separate calcium. If you only have a few birds TSC sells the five pound bags of it.

If you switched to pellets because of the waste then change their feeder.

I built this type of feeder to prevent scooping.