Year old deaf silkie- what should I do?

[Hencraze24]

Hi everyone. So I have a very sweet Buff Silkie, her name is Peep. She is a little over a year old and we have started to notice she no longer responds to my calls, and is always the last one to come running over when I feed them treats. When we let them free range, the poor thing always ends up on the other side of the yard. She also doesn't notice me whenever I enter the run. This is when we started to think she was deaf. I really don't want to cull her, she raised some of our new flock of chicks, is a great layer, and is very sweet. I don't know how to get her to communicate with me, or the other hens. Does deafness naturally occur in chickens her age, or is it something else?

 

[MandS]

I have not come across this with my own flocks but if it was me, I wouldn't cull her. The biggest risk for her is not hearing a predator, so free ranging might be risky.

We did have one of ours that got stuff in her ears and they got blocked. She wasn't deaf but was irritated by it. Does she shake/flick her head? Her ears are pretty easy to check - you just move the flap of feathers and look in there. They can also get mites in there too.

 

[Hencraze24]

Yeah, I looked and it. We have never had a issue with mites before. (or any disease for that matter)

She has no other almost issues, she just doesn't move around much. How would I know if she has mites? Her ear looks normal

 

[MandS]

They are hard to spot but small and there may be eggs on the bases of the feathers. If her ears are normal and she isn't moving around, it may not be the ears at all and something else. Is she eating and pooping?

 

[Hencraze24]

Her poop is somewhat soft, she eats like normal. I don't see her active much because she's broody, but when she is outside, she never moves around much, she just sits there except when I feed them treats or to get food. she sprints away when startled, but later than the others.

 

[Hencraze24]

I have not come across this with my own flocks but if it was me, I wouldn't cull her. The biggest risk for her is not hearing a predator, so free ranging might be risky.

They don't free range anymore.

 

[MandS]

If she is broody, then she will behave oddly. I hope that's the reason but otherwise, if she is eating and pooping, then that's a good sign. It's also good that she isn't vulnerable to a predator.

Hopefully someone else might provide some help. I think I've reached my limit.

Keep us updated.

@Eggcessive - have you seen this before?

 

[Hencraze24]

OK, thanks for your help.

 

[Eggcessive]

I have a rooster who sometimes seems to be deaf when I try to call him for treats. I don’t really know for sure. It could be selective deafness like my husband seems to have. I would look at her eyes as well to see if they seem the same or with any cloudiness or color change. I don’t know if there is anything you can do if she has lost her hearing. She should still get along okay, especially since you know that she may have the deafness problem.

 

[Hencraze24]

So, I did a test. I locked her up in our garage and called her name at different volume and pitch. she only responded to calls that were loud and really high. so yes, she has selective hearing. her eyes look the same. the only chicken that she can hear is daisy, our other silkie, and some of our chicks. when I looked out the window she was happily foraging with the chicks. Thanks for all your guys help, I'm glad she isn't sick or has mites. here is an image of daisy and peep.

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