What could this be/potential issue?

[Yoshii]

Hello, I just wanted to ask about this before I bought this hen. I contacted someone local about his silkies for sale, and I got this in the reply:

"one of the (silkies) got injured and couldn't hold it's head up . we brought it in the house and hung a light bulb in the cage . it perked right up and seemed to be doing fine . we put it back out with the others but in a few days it had the same problem . so it stays in the house now . it's about 8 or 9 weeks old now and doing very well , growing and loves to sit on it's perch and sing . [...] if you have the time to provide some extra care , it will make a great pet . "

I'm going to ask more about the nature of the injury, but does this sound like anything any of you guys have heard of or know about? Do you think it could lead to anything more threatening, or might she just be a special-needs hen? Thanks for any info!

 

[MandyH]

I'm scared to death of buying grown birds from people after we got some with Coryza and had to kill everything we owned, BUT do you think she could just be cold? Maybe that's why she perked up when they brought her inside. If they all huddle up when it's cold and she is smaller, they would squish her?!?!?!

 

[SpottedCrow]

Could be head boink too.

That's where the silkie or a polish or another crested birdie gets pecked on their vaulted skulls and their brain swells and causes them to have crookneck.

Even if you do take the silkies, make sure that you keep them away from your established flock for a month as a quarantine period.

 

[Yoshii]

Quote:
Of course about the quarantine.

If it is crookneck, would the separation/heat remedy it so readily? And does crookneck ever go away/does a bird recover from it? I was aware of Silkie's vaulted skulls, but that hadn't crossed my mind, thanks!

 

[eggchel]

Crook neck can come and go. It is an indicator that the silkie has problems. I wouldnt take it.


Chel

 

[arlee453]

I've got a silkie I hatched out from a chick back in November. She had crookneck bad as a chick and it went away for a while, but I noticed that every now and again she has the 'looky loos' and backs up, etc. I wouldn't hatch eggs from her, but she is a sweet and cute bird anyway. Whatever it is, she's not contagious - all the other ones are just fine and it's been months together.

Your mileage may vary, of course...