Splash Gordon my blue splash silkie roo isn't well. I brought him in the house yesterday when I saw that he wasn't moving right. I checked him all over and cannot find a thing, he did spend all night out the other night (he hid under the coop) He is eating and drinking but keeps opening his beak wide and stretching his neck out. He shakes his head a lot too. His wings don't seem to work right and he can stand but not walk well. Any ideas?
Splash Gordon not doing well.....
Oh, no :( With the beak opening/stretching his neck, could something be stuck in his airway? I don't know any other reasons, sorry I'm not much help! I had a pair of my dumb hamburgs stay out overnight last night and the night before; well, the hen actually went in last night when I opened the top door and she flew right in, lol! But the dumb roo is out there, and I haven't seen him yet today.
LoraK, l would call a Vet, it sounds like he may have sour craw. ls he getting enough grit? lnstead of there being something stuck in there it's just the opposite and you may need to get him some Tetracycline.
He has oyster shell, cracked corn, layer pellets and plenty of open ground to pick up tiny stones. I just got back with Tetracycline, what should the ration be?
It should tell you on the package how much to add to his water or how to dose with a syringe. Your best bet is to call a Vet and ask for the proper dosage.
Called the vet and made an appointment for tomorrow. Splash keeps falling asleep. I hope he makes it. As DG as my witness I will never buy another bird without checking references again. I am heart broken its him that is ill.
Lora, how is Splash doing? I hope he's okay.
sounds like he could be in pain. maybe injured when he was out. anyhow, hoping for the best for Gordon. if he were my baby, i would give him a little bit of children's liquid tylenol. it has gotten some of mine through dog bites.
do you know where to find his craw so you can feel it?
tf
Splash is dead. Barely made it to the vet. He said he had something wrong with his heart, it wasn't beating right and he said it sounded like he had a murmur???. He was thin and weak and the heart thing and cold weather did him in. The vet said it was most likely inbreeding too often to achive the right 'stuff' Plus he had lice! (talk about total embarassment)
He is going to test him for diseases just in case. How the heck am I going to get rid of lice in December? I am done buying chickens at shows. I am hatching my own only!
I think DE is one thing you can do for lice... you might start another thread asking about that, i have never had to do it...
i am VERY sorry about your little guy. In the last 18 months i have lost more chickens than I could list here, and it is so sad every time...
condolences,
tf
Lorak, I'm sorry to hear about Splash. You did the best you could. It's alot of fun to incubate and hatch your own. I've done it several times and am always happy to see what I have as the end result. I guess you could say I'm coming up with my own breeds as I've had several different breeds of chickens and roosters. You really have to watch out for that inbreeding!
This message was edited Dec 9, 2007 1:19 PM
Oh, I'm so sorry you lost Splash!
So far, (knock on wood) I've not lost any chickens - guineas - that's another matter!
I do have a rooster who lives in the garage because all the others pick on him, though.
Poor Lora, and poor Splash. How awful that it was because of irresponsible breeding. :>(
Truly sorry for your loss, it's always sad, and it always seems to be the faves. : (
Boy that's for sure. I was broken hearted when I found Cruiser with a broken neck. He was trying to lure a Red-tailed hawk away from the hens and didn't duck low enough under a bar and broke his neck.
ouch! at least Cruiser died protecting the hens.
my first exp with birds were two inbred guineas that we got from thye neighboe at 3 days old. i should have realized how inbred they were, & out of ten eggs three hatched, one died. My kids got so attached to Peter Pan & Molly. I was fortunate to recognize their stunted growth & had ordered four more from a reliable breeder before they died suddenly.
feeling for your loss,
tf
Thanks tf and at least it was quick. The hawk did get the smallest hen about 3 weeks later. DH looked out the window and said we have a hawk in the yard and then realized it had Littleone in it's talons. I quickly went out and when I did he/she took off. I at least got to bury her, he/she didn't get to eat her.