Silkie Walking in Tight Circles

[Deerling]

1) What type of bird , age and weight (does the chicken seem or feel lighter or thinner than the others.): Silkie, about 6 months. She is less fluffy than her sisters, maybe slightly thinner.

2) What is the behavior, exactly? I have noticed her walking in tight circles and then flapping for a second like she's being attacked by bees or something, then going back to walking in circles. She isn't holding her head at an angle, was not hurt that we know of (we've only had her for about two months, but she has only been with her two silkie sisters, no other chickens)

3) How long has the bird been exhibiting symptoms? I have seen her walking in circles for a week or two, but thought it may be a nervous behavior. It could have been longer, I have been having severe morning sickness and am not spending much time with the silkies, just attending to their basic needs.

4) Are other birds exhibiting the same symptoms? No

5) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma? No

6) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation? Nothing that I am aware of.

7) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all? I treated them with Corid last week as a precaution (based on some runny poop) but now back on regular water, layer pellets, some scratch.

8) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc. Normal

9) What has been the treatment you have administered so far? Nothing

10 ) What is your intent as far as treatment? For example, do you want to treat completely yourself, or do you need help in stabilizing the bird til you can get to a vet? I am wondering what this may be. Or course I'm afraid of having Mareks in the flock.

11) If you have a picture of the wound or condition, please post it. It may help. I will try and get a video tomorrow.

12) Describe the housing/bedding in use They have a small coop with an enclosed run under the house. The run is on the ground (dirt/rock) and the coop has a slide out tray that I just rinse off daily. Sometimes every other day if I've been really sick.

ETA: None of them are laying yet. She is normal most of the time, just occasionally (but with some frequency) does the circle thing.

 

[ten chicks]

If she has not started laying,she might be exhibiting signs that she will start soon. Check her for mites/lice just to be sure. Has she ever been wormed? Check her vent anything unusual?

If she is eating/drinking/popping normal,then just keep an eye on her for anything else.

I have seen my silkies flap wings like a crazy bird,in mine it is normal. I have also seen strange walking,again normal in mine,usually a case of crest feathers need to be trimmed from eyes.

You mentioned that she is thin,check her crop periodically to ensure she is in fact eating,should be full at night(after eating all day)should be empty in morning(before eating).

 

[Deerling]

Thank you! Those are all great points. She is not laying yet, but I would imagine will start soon. They've been getting a lot more sun during the day. I don't know for sure if she has ever been wormed, I would think no. I will check her for mites and lice. I didn't notice anything odd with her vent, but I was just eyeballing it so I will check more thoroughly. They do have pretty fluffy crests, maybe I will give them all a little spring haircut.

I did notice she pecks at the other's feathers sometimes, not sure if she could just be bored? Or agitated for some reason.

 

[realsis]

Sounds like the beginning of wry neck. I've had four silkies with wry neck and was able to cure three. I followed Alan Stanford treatment for wry neck. You can find his treatment by going to browneggblueegg.com , then look in articles, then go to crook neck. It is explained perfectly and doses and schedules are written out for you. I followed this to a tee and completely cured three of my silkies. Basically the treatment takes a full month so have patients. The treatment consists of giving vitamin E, vitamin B, small amount of selenium to help the body absorb the E vitamin, polyvisol liquid children's vitamin without iron and predinsone. Many have had success with out using predinsone but my cases were all severe so I used it each time. Please go to the Web site browneggblueegg.com look under crook neck and read about the treatment. It also explains wry neck and silkies. The first sign with my birds before wry neck was always circle walking. The faster you start treatment the better off she will be. Don't be alarmed if it seems worse. Sometimes it gets worse before it gets better. This treatment really works! I swear by it! I lost my fourth case because it was her second round of wry neck and she had a genetic issue but the others healed completely. It does take a good month but if you follow Alan Stanford treatment plan there is a very great chance she will return to normal as nothing has happened. So do take a look at the site. Circle walking with my silkies has always been associated with wry neck. I hope this helps and wish you the best.

 

[jenniemig]

Sounds like the beginning of wry neck. I've had four silkies with wry neck and was able to cure three. I followed Alan Stanford treatment for wry neck. You can find his treatment by going to browneggblueegg.com , then look in articles, then go to crook neck. It is explained perfectly and doses and schedules are written out for you. I followed this to a tee and completely cured three of my silkies. Basically the treatment takes a full month so have patients. The treatment consists of giving vitamin E, vitamin B, small amount of selenium to help the body absorb the E vitamin, polyvisol liquid children's vitamin without iron and predinsone. Many have had success with out using predinsone but my cases were all severe so I used it each time. Please go to the Web site browneggblueegg.com look under crook neck and read about the treatment. It also explains wry neck and silkies. The first sign with my birds before wry neck was always circle walking. The faster you start treatment the better off she will be. Don't be alarmed if it seems worse. Sometimes it gets worse before it gets better. This treatment really works! I swear by it! I lost my fourth case because it was her second round of wry neck and she had a genetic issue but the others healed completely. It does take a good month but if you follow Alan Stanford treatment plan there is a very great chance she will return to normal as nothing has happened. So do take a look at the site. Circle walking with my silkies has always been associated with wry neck. I hope this helps and wish you the best.

I am currently treating a crested duckling with wry neck. I am following Alan Stanfords treatment and seeing some improvement. Realsis is exactly right about it sometimes it gets worse before it gets better. I was able to get Prednisolone from my sister, her daughter took it a while back for asthma.

 

[ten chicks]

Could be beginning of wry neck,i have never had any cases of wry neck with my silkies,but i have seen crazy walking due to crest feathers blocking eyesight.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Silkie walking in circles- I'd treat as if for wry neck/crookneck. If it were me I'd try vitamins- especially selenium and vit e, along with regular vits.

Browneggblueegg.com has nice articles...look under crookneck. Silkies are prone to neurological symptoms (like wry neck) if they have injury, infection, or vitamin deficiency.

I didn't read all the responses...someone may have said this already.

Also there is a "Let's talk wry neck" thread that may be helpful.