# Silkie with shaky head



## kaufranc (Oct 3, 2012)

Edith has been my special needs hen and I have come to accept that. I think she got pecked hard on the head when I first introduced her to my flock. She loses her balance alot and is constantly shaking her head. I gave her something with a W in the name to help with her poop, it was very watery, was thinking worms. It is better now. I keep her inside at night but I put her outside in a little run during the day when i am home. So she gets fresh air and mingle with her Silkie boy Archie.
She has little bugs crawling around her eyes. I am thinking mite? She has never dusted herself that I have seen. What do I do?


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## Bird_slave (Oct 26, 2012)

Silkies are prone to head injuries, due to the vaulted skull.

The wormer you used was probably wazine. It only treats roundworms. It does sound like she has mites. If so, I would suggest you worm her with ivomec pour-on (ivermectin). It is a large livestock broad spectrum wormer used "off-label" on chickens. It is also the ingredient in heartworm preventative meds. for dogs. It has a wide safety margin and treats both internal and external parasites; not just roundworms.

There are several forms of ivomec - you want the pour on. For a silkie you would use 1/4 cc. on the back of the neck; at the base of the skull. Just get you a needle-less syringe, draw up the 1/4 cc. and apply. It is important that you spread the feathers, so that the med. lands on the skin.

It can be found at most feedstores, but sometimes only in very large and expensive bottles. I get it here (in a generic form): http://www.jefferspet.com/iver-on-pour-on/camid/LIV/cp/0026251/
They have the smallest bottles and best prices I have found.

I've dealt with this company for years. Great customer service and fast shipping.

P.S. It is best to wait at least a week after treatment with the wazine before worming with anything else, like the ivomec. If she is laying eggs, there is a 2 week withdrawel time on the eggs (as with most any wormer); meaning you need to throw eggs away for two weeks before they are safe to consume again.


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## kaufranc (Oct 3, 2012)

Thank you Bird Slave for the quick feedback.
I figured I would have to buy that. What should I do about her not dusting herself? Should I give her baths then? She has not laid any eggs, got her in October at the fair as a pullet.


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## Bird_slave (Oct 26, 2012)

kaufranc said:


> Thank you Bird Slave for the quick feedback.
> I figured I would have to buy that. What should I do about her not dusting herself? Should I give her baths then? She has not laid any eggs, got her in October at the fair as a pullet.


Some birds are just more into dustbaths than others. 
I also have a special needs bird, a silkie cross. She has a severe crossbeak and a skull deformity. She has never laid eggs, but only because she can't fatten up. It's all she can do to keep her body fed, with nothing left over for the production of eggs. 
She, "Dragon", is not much into dustbathing either. I've only seen her do it a few times and that was always after she observed other birds doing it. 
Other than regular beak trimmings, I just let Dragon be Dragon. 
If you want to bathe yours and she doesn't seem stressed by it, go for it.


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## fuzziebutt (Aug 7, 2012)

If you have seen bugs on her, then she has mites. Dust bathing doesn't stop mites. You need to treat her with something for the bugs. You can use Sevin dust, and dust her well under her wings and around her vent and all over. Others use different things to treat mites, and they can tell you what kind they use


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## kimberley (Sep 8, 2012)

very interesting about the ivomec. thanks


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## Bird_slave (Oct 26, 2012)

Welcome


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## kaufranc (Oct 3, 2012)

I would like to update about my Edith. She has improved rather well. The last few months she had been an inside pet . Regular baths and dust baths I give her by hand. I treated her with the Ivomec from the feed store and she has come a long way . She walks all around the house and surprised me Christmas Day with her first egg!


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## robopetz (Oct 16, 2012)

Glad to hear she's gotten better! Congrats on the egg'y, I love that pic you made.


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## kaufranc (Oct 3, 2012)

Well, I lost my dear Edith today. She was such a good girl right to the end. I will miss her in the house so much. There will never be another like her.


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## WeeLittleChicken (Aug 31, 2012)

Awe, I'm sorry to hear that. Certain ones are just so had to see go, especially the "special needs" animals that you end up spending more time with. SIGH. My condolences.


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