Silkie roo not eating barely drinking

[Toadsaver2]

My guy was put in a bachelor group and I believe got the crap beat out of him. No real damage I could see but found him listless, puffed up and acting sick. Treated for all the normal things, isolated him a few days with no improvement. I put him in a smaller coop with a bunch of pullets next to him and he remained depressed and not eating. Took him to the vet who couldn’t find anything obvious. Stool was normal, can stand and walk. Just wouldn’t eat. Put on antibiotics and a powdered food to tube him with. 10 days later his weight better but still not eating on his own. I’ve tried all the foods/treats. He obviously is drinking something but if I don’t tube feed he isn’t eating much if anything at all. I know tube feeding just to keep him alive is selfish but am I missing something? Anyone else have something similar?

 

[Debbie292d]

He might be in a lot of pain from bruising and perhaps even torn muscles.

If you have some regular aspirin, or baby aspirin, standard sized chickens can have three doses of 40 mg per day. An aspirin is 81 mg for reference. Since he's a silkie, I'd go a little less mg as too much aspirin is hard on their liver. I'd only do this for a couple of days to get him through the worst of it.

I'd try some scrambled eggs. Not many chickens can turn that down. Also, if you have some chick crumbles, put some in a dish and soak it in water. I think pellets would work the same way, but all I've ever had was crumbles. The chicks and chickens think that's a treat.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

My guy was put in a bachelor group and I believe got the crap beat out of him. No real damage I could see but found him listless, puffed up and acting sick. Treated for all the normal things, isolated him a few days with no improvement. I put him in a smaller coop with a bunch of pullets next to him and he remained depressed and not eating. Took him to the vet who couldn’t find anything obvious. Stool was normal, can stand and walk. Just wouldn’t eat. Put on antibiotics and a powdered food to tube him with. 10 days later his weight better but still not eating on his own. I’ve tried all the foods/treats. He obviously is drinking something but if I don’t tube feed he isn’t eating much if anything at all. I know tube feeding just to keep him alive is selfish but am I missing something? Anyone else have something similar?

Do you have photos of him and his poop?

Any lice/mites?
Did the Vet perform a fecal float checking for worms?

You mention he was puffed up - is he still puffed up?

How old is he?

What's his crop like?
What antibiotic and dose did the Vet prescribe?

I'd re-check him over for any injuries/abrasions that may be hidden.

 

[Toadsaver2]

Do you have photos of him and his poop?

Any lice/mites?
Did the Vet perform a fecal float checking for worms?

You mention he was puffed up - is he still puffed up?

How old is he?

What's his crop like?
What antibiotic and dose did the Vet prescribe?

I'd re-check him over for any injuries/abrasions that may be hidden.

Idk which antibiotics he was on but I did those for 10 days. 2x a day. Have him in a temp controlled room with water and chick crumble ( doesn’t ever touch it). He will not eat ANYTHING. I mean I have tried it all. The vet checked him over really well and did a fecal ( clean). He had a few mites in his crest when this all started but he’s clean now. When the weather is nice I put him outside in the grass just for him to feel some sunshine and he just stands there. He barely wants to do anything. He doesn’t pick at grass He doesn’t pick at food if a bug flies by he doesn’t acknowledge it. It’s just so odd. He makes little noise. This started March 3!!!!! Photo is him at the vet. Paint pullet was there for a different issue

 

[Toadsaver2]

Idk which antibiotics he was on but I did those for 10 days. 2x a day. Have him in a temp controlled room with water and chick crumble ( doesn’t ever touch it). He will not eat ANYTHING. I mean I have tried it all. The vet checked him over really well and did a fecal ( clean). He had a few mites in his crest when this all started but he’s clean now. When the weather is nice I put him outside in the grass just for him to feel some sunshine and he just stands there. He barely wants to do anything. He doesn’t pick at grass He doesn’t pick at food if a bug flies by he doesn’t acknowledge it. It’s just so odd. He makes little noise. This started March 3!!!!! Photo is him at the vet. Paint pullet was there for a different issue

He stands like this most of the time. Walks perfectly fine. Slowly but not lame or at all off balance. I currently have him with some youngsters who he doesn’t pay any attention to at all. He was with the paint pullet and acted the same. Doesn’t acknowledge another bird at all.

 

[Debbie292d]

He stands like this most of the time. Walks perfectly fine. Slowly but not lame or at all off balance. I currently have him with some youngsters who he doesn’t pay any attention to at all. He was with the paint pullet and acted the same. Doesn’t acknowledge another bird at all.

I wonder if when he was beat up in the bachelor pen if they didn't cause a head injury. I didn't realize this has been since March 3.

So that's about 8 weeks like this with you tube feeding him.

Maybe try one more thing for another week, then make a decision.

Give him a whole Vitamin E around 400 iu by squeezing the contents in his tube feeding, with a little bit of mashed up scrambled egg, and 1/4 B-complex pill mashed up. Once a day. If it's something neurological, that might help.

 

[Eggcessive]

What does his poop look like? Hard to know why he is not well. I would be tempted to treat him for possible coccidiosis with Corid, even though the fecal float was clear. Corid dosage is 2 tsp of the liquid per gallon of water for 5 days. Also I would check him all over for mites or lice because he may be anemic. If you use Corid he cannot get b vitamins. If you go ahead and use b vitamins, don’t use the Corid.

 

[Toadsaver2]

What does his poop look like? Hard to know why he is not well. I would be tempted to treat him for possible coccidiosis with Corid, even though the fecal float was clear. Corid dosage is 2 tsp of the liquid per gallon of water for 5 days. Also I would check him all over for mites or lice because he may be anemic. If you use Corid he cannot get b vitamins. If you go ahead and use b vitamins, don’t use the Corid.

I did treat him for coccidia immediately after this began. Sorry I hadn’t mentioned that.

 

[Toadsaver2]

I wonder if when he was beat up in the bachelor pen if they didn't cause a head injury. I didn't realize this has been since March 3.

So that's about 8 weeks like this with you tube feeding him.

Maybe try one more thing for another week, then make a decision.

Give him a whole Vitamin E around 400 iu by squeezing the contents in his tube feeding, with a little bit of mashed up scrambled egg, and 1/4 B-complex pill mashed up. Once a day. If it's something neurological, that might help.

Thank you I will try this!!!

 

[Toadsaver2]

What does his poop look like? Hard to know why he is not well. I would be tempted to treat him for possible coccidiosis with Corid, even though the fecal float was clear. Corid dosage is 2 tsp of the liquid per gallon of water for 5 days. Also I would check him all over for mites or lice because he may be anemic. If you use Corid he cannot get b vitamins. If you go ahead and use b vitamins, don’t use the Corid.

Yes he is clean. No mites, no lice. He is currently in a climate controlled room too without exposure to wild birds and such