Wasting Silkies

[Haunted55]

Really! I was really afraid what we'd see Casportpony. How prominent is their keel bone? My Showgirls weigh next to nothing but their keel bone doesn't stick out .

 

[sheeshshe]

just the little splash girl seems to have the keel bone sticking out.

 

[Haunted55]

just the little splash girl seems to have the keel bone sticking out.

So the rest all feel good?

 

[sheeshshe]

I felt them all but it was hard to tell. Maybe I need to feel my LF chickens to see the difference?

 

[sheeshshe]

Ok, the thin one that I can see the keel bone laid an egg for the first time!

 

[Haunted55]

Ok, the thin one that I can see the keel bone laid an egg for the first time!

Do you have a digital kitchen scale? Are you able to get one? They have them at WalMart for fairly cheap and it would really help you with this question.

When I have a bird that is wasting, the keel bone will start to stick out and there are hollows on either side of it. The skin seems loose on these birds as well. Their gait tends to be slower and more deliberate when walking and will start avoiding the roost and instead keep to the floor. They start to become lethargic and show no desire to eat or drink after a while.

I'm not there so I can't see how your birds are doing on a daily basis but I'm not seeing anything in the pictures to make me think it could be one of the nasties that are the usual culpirts with this symptom. Usually they start to look dull and scruffy. Let me ask this...have you actually seen this bird at the feeder? Does it get pushed away because of pecking order? You'll have to stand and watch for a bit to see. It really may be that simple. Here's what I would do first, I would get a small bag of a game bird or a show bird feed and mix it into their regular food. This will have a higher protien % and also some extra 'fats' that will help with any weight loss that could be due to lack of feeder time. I'd try to get one of the scales as well. If you have it, believe me, you'll use it. Eventually you'll wonder how you did without it, lol.

 

[Haunted55]

My Show Girl just started laying again. As of the day before yesterday so I am thinking it may have been the lack of sun we've had up here. Did you dust these guys? What about worming them again? I just went through all of the postings again and am trying to see if there's anything missed. No sneezing or coughing? Just a couple with the messy bottoms? Have you taken a real good look at the ones who are showing that? Could it be Gleet? Are you giving them ACV in their water? What are you feeding?

 

[Suzierd]

Sometimes with silkies they can't see good enough to eat well, might want to try trimming back the beard and crest feathers a bit and see if that helps.

 

[Tikkijane]

Pumpkin is a natural dewormer, fwiw. Hope you get it figured out!

 

[bribre]

Sometimes with silkies they can't see good enough to eat well, might want to try trimming back the beard and crest feathers a bit and see if that helps.

x2 good idea.