The Poultry Keeper

Janine Falle · Joined: 26 Jul 2008 Posts: 12 Location: Hatt

poorly silkie HELP please advise, my girl came from an agricultural show on 6 aug, next day she seemed to hav a sticky eye but has seemed fine since except every now and then she will be on her own (without the other one) and seems to be labouring with her breathing? Last couple of days I have thought she was not quite right but today she did not come out of the hen house so I have put her in my kitchen alone in a cat carrier with food and water but she is not touching them.. She is just standing and still breathing slowly like its hard for her? She laid an egg yesterday but not the day before. We have only just started out and have 6 guinea fowl, 2 aracuanas and these two silkies. What to do...don't know of a poultry vet yet here...hope I don't have to do any killing! I know I will have to some time but not so soon! We are just getting to know her!

Scoop · Joined: 25 Feb 2008 Posts: 46 Location: Somerset

I've had a lot of troubles with one of my new Light Sussex pullets - she's wheezed, gulped and gaped since I had her. She's been treated for gapeworm (Flubenvet), had two lots of antibiotics (Tylan and Aeuromycin), apple cider vinegar (general tonic) and Respite (for colds) - all to absolutely no avail!
Any of the above may well work for your silkie (unless she's egg or crop bound), but another forum user advised me my Sussex is probably just a "wheezer" as she's always been active and eaten and drunk normally. Have you checked your silkie's crop to see if it's impacted and maybe check her abdomen for possible eggs? Are her droppings normal? Has she lost weight? There's a lot of helpful advice on this forum for treating crop bound and egg bound chooks.
I would take her to the vet to be on the safe side - mine isn't a farm vet or a chicken expert but he still managed to come up with an antibiotic after I turned up during an open surgery! Fingers crossed for you.

Janine Falle · Joined: 26 Jul 2008 Posts: 12 Location: Hatt

seems a lot better today and laid an egg in the cat box for me yesterday...so can't be egg bound...she does seem thin but is eating today..also I don't know what thin is or really how a silkie should breathe so maybe she is just wanting to live in my kitchen at night....anyway I will see how she goes and check her for lice and stuff, I am reluctant to take her to the vet in case she is just like that all the time!
Thanks for replying though!

Henwife · Joined: 31 Jan 2006 Posts: 3452 Location: Monmouthshire

If you can feel her keel (breastbone) as a sharp edge, she's too thin. you shouldn't really notice a chicken breathing, but if she's a wheezer, you'll hear her. If she's laying, I'd cease to worry, unless she's thin, in which case try to build her up for the colder weather.

Janine Falle · Joined: 26 Jul 2008 Posts: 12 Location: Hatt

Yes and the weather is so jolly unseasonal!Can feel her breastbone very much....have brought her in again to keep her warm overnight...will give her lots of food tomorrow...shall I give corn? Hard not to give it to the others...I could take her into the kitchen earlier and feed her separately...(note to self)...spoil Bubble rotten!
Thank you

Janine Falle · Joined: 26 Jul 2008 Posts: 12 Location: Hatt

Bubble the silkie still a bit "off" but alive and moving about with the others...if we could have some sun I feel she would feel better! Am off to get her fattening stuff. Thanks for advice!

Dusty · Joined: 07 Jan 2008 Posts: 934 Location: St. Asaph

Glad she's doing ok. Have you tried her with egg food, it's given to aviary birds when they are breeding and i've used it with one of my poorly chooks and she loved it.

It should give her some protein to put weight on.

Mix it with a little water - you can also add the garlic etc to it and hopefully she'll eat it.

Autumn · Joined: 27 Jun 2008 Posts: 486 Location: Suffolk

jubilee · Joined: 04 Jun 2008 Posts: 125 Location: nottinghamshire

A healthy bird you should be able to feel the keel bone as you would in a healthy person, feel their ribs, without pressing on too much, but there, too sharp and the bird is too thin, can't feel one the bird is too fat, can feel a trench between each side, the bird is obese, Hybrid hens tend to be on the "slim" side and are notoriously difficult to put weight on them, good fattening foods are cooked pasta, cooked rice, and growers pellet, also maize and mixed corn are good, but all should be fed in moderation and any weight gain should be done gradually.
Your silkie could have picked up a chest/respiritory infection from the show, as they do tend to spread well in shows, i would separate her anyway, and pop her to the vet for a check up, tell him what you've told us and ask him for either baytril or tylan antibiotics to put in her water, or if he can inject the bird for you. hope the silkie gets well again soon. xx

Chris Kurzfeld · Joined: 29 Oct 2007 Posts: 1633 Location: Carmarthenshire

Talking to a quite a few breeders at the aution last Saturday it seems that this year is a bad year for respiratory infections in poultry, many are blaming the weather. Had a couple myself which, once injected with Tylan twice (48 hours apart) have made a complete recovery.

Janine Falle · Joined: 26 Jul 2008 Posts: 12 Location: Hatt

I think my poorly silkie is blind! she gets about ok but seems to bump things to find out where she is, even if I put a bowl right in front of her she does not just eat from it but rather feeds in a sweeping motion. She lays little eggs and doesn't go into the nesting box, probably because her sister is being broody in the one she has previously found so she lays from her perch. So sad, my youngest daughter gives this little hen cuddles every day which they both seem to enjoy...this would explain the thinness! I don't want to put her down...if I don't I will have to keep her indoors as she will suffer too much from the cold.
Poor thing she is quite adept at getting in and out of the henhouse and is so tame because she can't see us!
Crying or Very sad

Autumn · Joined: 27 Jun 2008 Posts: 486 Location: Suffolk

Poor little thing. If she's ok indoors though (and you're ok with her being indoors!), I'm sure she'll be happy. Very Happy

CP · Posted: Tue Sep 09, 2008 2:04 am Post subject:

Poor girl. Sad

We had a blind indoor chicken for a couple of years. She used to go out in the coop at night but separated from the rest & spent most of the day with us indoors. Wink

Janine Falle · Joined: 26 Jul 2008 Posts: 12 Location: Hatt

Will make a plan for the indoor blind silkie...her name is Bubble, rabbit hutch? I can't kill her...so sweet!