Smart Autodoor

[Blue44]

2.5 weeks ago I got 4 new silkies (between 16-18 weeks old now) to join my other 2 who are 3 years.

 

I have had them partitioned in the garden until the weekend when they fully FR’d with the 2 bigger girls some chasing and the odd peck here and there but nothing too nasty…

 

However now one of the babies seems to be holding her head on a tilt and is a little unsteady on her feet on the slats in the eglu cube (I think she may have been beaten up in the coop on Monday night?)

 

I had had the babies in a partitioned bit of the coop but remove the partition at the weekend…Anyway first signs of a problem - she wouldn’t come out of the coop yesterday morning (I put the partition back in yesterday evening)

I had to lift her in last night but she seemed scared and once in there was lots of flapping and staggering – was quiet after a few minutes though…

 

This morning again she wouldn’t come out and head tilting and balance seemed worse – I lifted her out put in a cat basket (ready for vets, if I could get an appointment). Put food and water in the basket which she ate and drank a little – her head and standing didn’t seem too bad once out of the coop, so I let her go in the garden with all the others…she ate some more.

 

Had a quick look on the web and thought it sounded like crook neck, which young silkies are susceptible too? I thought this was possible if she had been pecked, they have been innoculated from Mareks.

 

Can you offer any advice – I think the web mentioned water on the brain from maybe receiving some pecking and it also mentioned giving some vitamins?

 

Your advice / anything I should do differently i.e. vets, vitamins, separate accommodation for both groups? Would be greatly received.

 

Didn’t sleep well was up at 4am!!!

 

Also I think one of the youngsters may be a boy, yesterday and today made a couple of noises which sounded like a chicken being strangled…(if he is a boy would he pick on her too and the other youngsters) just conscious they are in the partitioned bit together.

 

Sorry for so many questions but I love them to bits already...

[Redwing]

There is a few things it could be

 

Crest and ear mites can cause the head to be held strangely and the bird to be unbalanced, these are common in Silkies - a dirty crest is one sign of them but do have a really good look, it takes a few seconds of concentrating to really spot them especially as the skin is dark

 

A wry neck can be caused by a vitamin B deficiency. Nettex Nutridrops contain vitamin B and are good or there is a powder supplement called B Pure intended for pigeons which I have used to good effect on a wry neck Silkie. A general tonic will also contain vit B but at a lower concentration, its worth a try if you have some though

 

Mareks vaccines can occassionally not work. If you hadnt have said that the bird was vaccinated I would have said that was the most probable cause of the symptoms

[Blue44]

Thanks Redwing really appreciate your help...Mareks is awful I purposely got vaccinated young ones to add to my 2 originals as I had previously lost a couple and understand the vaccine is not always a 100%. If I start losing these to it I'm not sure what I'll do.

I will check her over and get some vitamins...

 

Thanks for your help.

[Luvachicken]

Awww, I hope you get things sorted.