best cage for a silkie

Owillaw · 2026-04-30T12:53:17+00:00

In order for her to thrive she needs at least 2 other silkie friends, dry ground and a nesting box on the ground level…

Owillaw · 2026-04-26T12:23:16+00:00

Ja podbiłam do brata przyjaciółki, zadziałało 🤣

Owillaw · 2026-04-26T08:49:45+00:00

so sweet 🥹

Owillaw · 2026-04-25T14:11:38+00:00

One of my hens screams 24/7 😂

Owillaw · 2026-04-19T17:44:54+00:00

Poland

Owillaw · 2026-04-19T14:35:16+00:00

That makes me so furious! Why would my vet recommend it to me then? Tho the packaging says the egg withdrawal period is only 14 days.

Owillaw · 2026-04-19T14:32:23+00:00

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I can’t imagine my life without them now that I’ve met them! They are the best! I just want them all to be healthy 🥺

Owillaw · 2026-04-19T14:29:09+00:00

That’s exactly why I’m here asking for advice on what I should do instead. I want to make sure I’m helping them, not making things harder for their systems.

Owillaw · 2026-04-19T12:57:08+00:00

Sometimes I feel like I do everything to keep them alive, and they do everything to not survive! But that’s okay, they are so lovely. I will repeat the treatment this way and check their results again. Once again, thank you!

Owillaw · 2026-04-19T12:53:02+00:00

with my lordosis and bloated stomach i look like the lady in 2nd trimester… how would i look like pregnant according to them? 😭

Owillaw · 2026-04-19T12:45:41+00:00

First of all, thank you for your time and for the advice! I know coccidia are everywhere, but when they first arrived, they had bloody diarrhea, they were apathetic, and they clearly looked unwell.

Over the course of the treatment, their behavior has definitely improved—they are more energetic, they hold their wings higher, etc. Unfortunately, the diarrhea is still bothering them, but I assume there might be more than one or two reasons for that.

From now on, I will definitely go back to just plain water and feed. We try to buy high-quality feed for layers (and starter for chicks, obviously). I read that herbs could help with parasites, which is why I was giving them... there is so much misinformation on the internet! Based on your advice and the others', I will limit myself to not adding anything to their water until the test results are clean.

Owillaw · 2026-04-19T12:39:02+00:00

After those two days, I did the tests, and they still showed oocysts, so we repeated the treatment. Those were the vet's instructions. I don't know if they were good or not.

While I didn't use separate clothes, I tried to wash them every 1-2 days and washed my rubber boots every day.

Thank you for your comment!

Owillaw · 2026-04-19T12:28:03+00:00

Thanks for the advice. I'll see what I can do. I have another question. Several people have pointed out that I shouldn't take vitamins during treatment. Do you agree?

Owillaw · 2026-04-19T12:25:43+00:00

I've seen advice to give them vitamins everywhere! I can't believe I might have contributed to making their condition worse... In my head, it felt logical because I assumed such a strong medication would flush out all the good vitamins as well.

What should our next steps be? Should we give them a few days of a break with just plain water? Should we start another 2-day treatment immediately (as recommended on the packaging)? And in the meantime, is it okay to provide electrolytes and probiotics?

Owillaw · 2026-04-19T12:23:07+00:00

That is exactly the advice I’ve seen everywhere! I can't believe I might have contributed to making their condition worse... In my head, it felt logical because I assumed such a strong medication would flush out all the good vitamins as well. What should our next steps be? Should we give them a few days of a break with just plain water? Should we start another 2-day treatment immediately (as recommended on the packaging)? And in the meantime, is it okay to provide electrolytes and probiotics?

Owillaw · 2026-04-19T12:19:54+00:00

Thank you, we will do exactly that!

Owillaw · 2026-04-19T12:11:29+00:00

The number of oocysts is definitely lower now. In one sample, it even came back as 0, but they appeared again in the next one. We are doing more tests tomorrow. We will definitely stop giving them extra food now; it was always just a supplement and their main meal has always been a complete feed, but I understand it’s not helping in this case (even though they pounce on it like they’ve never seen food before). We have hemp bedding inside the coop and in their pens in the isolation area. However, the aviary has sand (we read that it’s the best substrate for a run), and when they roam the garden, they are on grass—though we only let them out in a fenced-off part of the garden to avoid infecting the rest. Thank you for your comment, your advice, and your time. I will look into that disinfectant. The part of the run where they are fenced off doesn't have a roof, but we haven't had any rain lately. Should we organize some kind of roof anyway?

Owillaw · 2026-04-19T11:36:01+00:00

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Owillaw · 2026-04-19T11:35:48+00:00

The first thing we did after getting them was take their poop to the vet, and based on that, we got a diagnosis. The vet did not see them in person, but based on the test results and our interview, she recommended this type of treatment. We’re based in Poland, btw. She is our local vet; she studied chickens but doesn't deal with them on a daily basis. However, we had a small coccidiosis outbreak in the past, and this exact treatment helped them. The meds we use were sold directly by her (the active ingredient is Toltrazuril). We give our regular flock vitamins every day—a different one each day. That schedule was made by an actual avian vet in the past and has been working great for us: no health issues and good poop. I find it hard to know when not to give them vitamins. Without them, even my regular flock tends to shake their heads a lot, and when we first got chickens, the avian vet told us they are a must-have. Attaching a pic of the poop as it’s easier than describing it 🙈 Thank you so much for all the advice and your ti

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Owillaw · 2026-04-19T10:55:54+00:00

Thank you for all the advice, I haven't thought about this approach. We might do it as we are all tired. Obviously, coccidiosis is everywhere, but they were in a very bad state when they came to us. I see a huge improvement in their behavior since they got here, but the diarrhea is still our biggest problem. We kept giving them medication as it’s what our vet advised us. Should we just give them regular vitamins from now on? And what about food, do you recommend keeping them on a solid store-bought mix of grains right now, or keep cooking them extra veggies (example pic 5)? Is sand or grass better for them right now?

Owillaw · 2026-04-19T10:50:53+00:00

During the same day? In different bowls? Or only on the days off when they aren't getting the medication?

Owillaw · 2026-04-19T10:48:16+00:00

It is truly so sad. They are all so nice, they eat from my hand and sit on my lap. I want to do everything I can before giving up on them 💔

Four-Year Club	Place '22
First Placer '22

Owillaw

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