Urgent - Emaciated silkie - what to do for care ?!

[SammiMya]

Hi there !!

This bird I had saved has a mass build up in her poop track ( almost positive its just fecal matter as it isnt hard- & found her emaciated ) so I cleaned her up , had taken the hard poop out of her feathers& off vent ( it was stuck outside of it - likely the reason why she ended up full inside-

Looking for advice ASAP , ua there. Bird diuretic out there ? Any advice would be greatly appreciated
* shes a naked neck silkie
* shes eating & drinking fluids / raw egg/ flax seed/ polyvisol / etc

 

[April]

Let me tag some chicken folks. @AussieBird @Xoetix

 

[Pixiebeak]

I'm not sure chicken conditions. But I would never feed raw eggs .

The most common cause of back up in a bird is egg binding. According to my vet she has never seen constipation in a bird, just egg bound issues blocking.

this chicken needs an avain veterinarian.

 

[Shezbug]

I was asked to share this message from Aussie Bird.

I'd suggest trimming any feathers around to vent to stop anymore poo sticking. I'd also ask if the chicken is up to date with worming and lice/mite treatment.
If she's underweight she should probably be on a high protein feed like chick starter or gamebird feed. The raw egg I'm not 100% sure why they're feeding but could easily be scrambled to encourage eating.

Rereading it the dirty silkie feathers could very well be the issue I think.

 

[Zara]

Thread moved to Poultry Row so that the knowledgable chicken folks can respond and give advice.
@fashionfobie @AussieBird @Catherine89 @Xoetix

 

[AussieBird]

Thread moved to Poultry Row so that the knowledgable chicken folks can respond and give advice.
@fashionfobie @AussieBird @Catherine89 @Xoetix

Thank you Zara! I'll try and expand a bit on what I asked Shez to say.
Silkied feathers can require extra so I can see that if you didn't happen to notice her vent required cleaning that she might get stopped up. Carefully trimming them down will help with hygiene. Could you describe and possibly share a picture of what her droppings look like?
Dirty vents can be signs of other issues so this is why I ask if she happens to receive worming and/or lice and mite treatments. Lice and mite infestations can also be extremely taxing on them too, I not that long ago ended up with a emaciated silkie too he was riddled with lice (came to me like that).
Since she's underweight making sure she's eating is highly important, an underweight chicken can be in a fragile state. I suggested a chick starter or a gamebird feed as those generally have higher protein contents that could really benefit her right now. What is her main diet right now? If for any reason she stops eating you're going to have to step in.
None of us here are vets, so I'm simply giving advice from what I've taken the time to learn for caring for my own chickens. If you believe she's in a fragile state and a vet is an option for you that should be your next step.

 

[fashionfobie]

Great response @AussieBird !

Silkie feather do not zip like normal chicken feathers, and because of this they do require more observation and upkeep. Thank you for rescuing this little love and giving her a chance. Treating for worms (as @Shezbug mentioned) is also a brilliant plan. Diet wise, I think you may want to add a pellet to her diet to help her gain weight. If you read the protein % on the chicken food bags you will notice average is about 16% for a laying hen. However you can get high protein mixes of 20% that are usually offered to during moulting to support feather regrowth. I would buy one of these high protein mixes to help her regain weight. Raw eggs are fine to feed, but they shouldn't be the bulk of the diet, flax can also be a lot of work to digest. I would offer a larger range of grains: barley, oat, some corn, etc . Chickens need a diverse diet! I would also always offer fresh produce daily, as it is important for their overall health. Pumpkin (or in North America what is Squash) is a very popular option in my flock. Also leafy greens! Let me know if you have any questions.