Step-by-Step Tube Feeding Guide - Pictures - Under construction

Shugercube said:

I did mean to ask though- is there a certain daily weight gain goal when they’re sick like this? Like he should gain x% of his weight back each day, or even just a fixed amount per day, or anything like that? Or just as long as he’s gaining and not stagnant or losing weight?

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Shugercube said:

He’s at 692 this morning, empty crop pre-tube. So 23g gained in 4 days, an average of 5.75g a day. Does that sound about right? Too low? I’m assuming he shouldn’t necessarily have the same rate of gain as a growing chick, since he was mostly fully grown already. Just don’t know what a good number to aim for is.

He’s supposed to be a pure Sebright, but in trying to find weight info, the average adult male Sebright is only around 620g, and since he’s well over that but still super skinny, AND he has male feathers and not the hen feathers he should have, AND a single comb, I’m thinking he’s probably a mix. So I’m not even sure what his normal weight *should* be.

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casportpony said:

In this thread I will try to cover all aspects of tube feeding. Subjects covered will be:

• When to tube
• Tube feeding contraindications
• Crop volume and how much to tube
• How to insert the tube
• Risks associated with tubing
• Supplies needed and where you can get them
• The importance of correcting hydration
• How to tube neonates

When to Tube

• Tube if bird is not drinking/eating
• Tube if bird has lost 5% of it's body weight

Tube feeding contraindications

• Never tube a non responsive bird
• Never tube a hypothermic bird
• Never tube a bird with an digestive tract obstruction

How Much and How Often to Tube

Almost all sick birds will dehydrated, so one must correct this first. Crop volume is about 5% of a bird's body weight, but it is best to start with 2% to 3% and see how they tolerate it (2-3 ml per 100 grams). Warmed fluids should be given and then given again in 60-90 minutes if crop has mostly cleared. Repeat again in 2-4 hours.


Step 1:
Bringbird inside and place in a warm room, 80-85 degrees is ideal (watch for signs of over-heating).

Step 2:
Weigh the bird

Step 3:
Once warmed, correct hydration and this should not be done until the duck is warmed up. Tube warmed (102 degrees) Pedialyte or Gatorade at 14 ml per pound of body weight, wait 60-90 minutes and repeat. If no poop is produced by 3 hours after first tubing, repeat once more.

Step 4:
Once the bird is pooping you can start tubing warmed Kaytee Exact baby bird food or a non-lay crumble (lay crumble has too much calcium). Start by tubing 14 ml per pound of body weight and increase a little at each feeding. Do not exceed 23 ml per pound of body weight. Sick birds are tube fed 2-4 times a day.


From Technical Procedures for the Avian Patient, by Amy B. Johnson, CVT
Crop Feeding
Crop feeding is the main way to provide nutritional support to sick birds. There are many different formulas on the market including; Harrison’s, Kaytee Exact, Zupreem and Pretty Bird. Kaytee Exact makes a formula exclusively for macaws, which require a higher fat content. Crop feeding should only be administered to well hydrated, normothermic birds that are able to stand on their own. Formula should be mixed to an appropriate thickness to provide adequate caloric intake and should be administered at a temperature between 100˚-102˚F. Crop burns can happen at temperatures greater than this and are often not seen for several days. Symptoms of a bird with a crop burn are decreased appetite and drooling. If the burn is severe enough, a fistula will open in the crop and formula will drain from it.

When crop feeding a bird, calculate the volume to be fed at 3ml per 100gms up to every six hours for adults. Juveniles are fed 10 percent of their body weight several times a day. Always check the crop first for food contents or decreased crop motility before feeding. Weighing the bird at the beginning of every day will help determine if it is receiving the appropriate amount of calories.

Crop feeder or crop needles come in several different sizes depending on the size bird. Crop feeders are stainless steel tubes with a ball at the end. They can be purchased through www.vetspecialtyproducts.com. The bird should be restrained properly while the crop feeder is inserted in the bird’s left side of its mouth and directed toward the right side advancing into the crop. The trachea should be palpated separate from the crop feeder with the ball of the crop feeder in the crop. Once placement is confirmed and with the esophagus occluded by the head, the formula is given quickly. While maintaining occlusion of the esophagus the crop feeder is removed and the bird returned to the cage feet first and slowly letting go of the head, making sure the bird does not regurgitate. In the event that the bird should begin regurgitation, leave the bird alone. Aspiration is more likely to happen if the bird is stressed causing increased respiration and inhalation of formula. Monitor the bird for further respiratory signs and adjust technique or volume at next attempt at crop feeding.



Once hydration has been corrected, tube Kaytee Exact mixed at about 1 part food to 2.5 to 3 parts water. Start with 2-3 ml per 100 grams. Gently feel the crop. It should have a slight bulge. If still flat, give a little more.

Supplies Needed

• Tube
• Syringe
• Scale
• Water
• Kaytee Exact Baby Bird Food

Tube

The size of tube you need will depend on the size of the bird you are tubing. A size 18 french tube can usually be used on all birds that weigh 500 grams or more. Small chicks and ducks would need a size 8. Geese, adult ducks and adult peafowl can accommodate a size 30.



The 30 - for extra large fowl.
http://www.greatmedicalsupplies.com...l-purpose-robinsonnelaton-catheter-351030.htm

The 28
http://www.greatmedicalsupplies.com...l-purpose-robinsonnelaton-catheter-351028.htm

The 26
http://www.greatmedicalsupplies.com...l-purpose-robinsonnelaton-catheter-351026.htm

The 24
http://www.greatmedicalsupplies.com...l-purpose-robinsonnelaton-catheter-351024.htm

The 22
http://www.greatmedicalsupplies.com...l-purpose-robinsonnelaton-catheter-351022.htm

The 20
http://www.greatmedicalsupplies.com...l-purpose-robinsonnelaton-catheter-351020.htm

The 18 - Most birds over 500 grams
http://www.greatmedicalsupplies.com...l-purpose-robinsonnelaton-catheter-351018.htm

The 16
http://www.greatmedicalsupplies.com...l-purpose-robinsonnelaton-catheter-351016.htm

The 14
http://www.greatmedicalsupplies.com...l-purpose-robinsonnelaton-catheter-351014.htm

The 12
http://www.greatmedicalsupplies.com...l-purpose-robinsonnelaton-catheter-351012.htm

The 10
http://www.greatmedicalsupplies.com...l-purpose-robinsonnelaton-catheter-351010.htm

The 8 - Newly hatched chicks and ducklings
http://www.greatmedicalsupplies.com...l-purpose-robinsonnelaton-catheter-351008.htm




Syringes

A 1 ml and a 3 ml should be used when tubing chicks/ducklings with a size 8 tube. Tube shown below is a size 8 on a 1 m luer slip syringe.






When using size 18 or larger tube, it's best to have a 60 ml catheter tip syringe, but a 35 ml one will also work.


This is a 35 ml (cc) syringe This is a 60 ml (cc) syringe


Types of syringe tips

You can buy 60 ml catheter tip syringes at Tractor supply and here - 60 ml catheter tip syringes (click to open)

Scale

A kitchen scale that can weigh in grams is what I use. Knowing the weight of your bird will allow you to calculate the amount of water and food to tube.




Scale can be purchased at places like Walmart.







Food





Kaytee can be purchased and Petsmart, Petco and online.

The hardest part is getting them to hold still. Ducks have a different shaped crop, so that's probably why you can't feel it filling. Duck looks like the one on the left:

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Ccort said:

According to this, my girl should have 64 ml at each feeding if she weighs about 4.5 lbs. Should I give that much if she has sour crop? Also, if I am at work, so I give the full amount, leave for eight hours, and give another 64 ml?

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Ccort said:

According to this, my girl should have 64 ml at each feeding if she weighs about 4.5 lbs. Should I give that much if she has sour crop? Also, if I am at work, so I give the full amount, leave for eight hours, and give another 64 ml?

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• 2% 0f 2000 grams is 40 ml
• 3% of 2000 grams is 60 ml

dcw2806 said:

Hi, hope you don't.mind me jumping on the thread but I need some advise. I have a hen who had crop surgery last week to remove an obstruction. Since then she has been on sub cut fluids, pain reloef and emeprid and I have tried to encourage her to eat. She ate on Saturday but then stopped again. She is passing very little poo. The specialist vet has advised I tube feed her but when I have tried she is getting so stressed about me looking in her mouth to check the tube isn't in her trachea I have to give up. Is it safe to jist feel for tue tube in her crop instead as I am assuming if I can feel it it can't be anywhere else? I am also not sure how.much liquid feed to give her as her crop is still very slow to empty and never gets less than half full. She also has air collecting berween her crop ans skin which I am assuming is from the surgery. I really want to try to get her better as we have come so far and she is fighting to stay here but I dob't want to do anything that is going to keep stressing her. I am hoping if I can tube feed confidently so its done and over quickly it will give her the feed she needs to turn a corner and get her eating on her own before she loses anymore weight.

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dcw2806 said:

Hi, hope you don't.mind me jumping on the thread but I need some advise. I have a hen who had crop surgery last week to remove an obstruction. Since then she has been on sub cut fluids, pain reloef and emeprid and I have tried to encourage her to eat. She ate on Saturday but then stopped again. She is passing very little poo. The specialist vet has advised I tube feed her but when I have tried she is getting so stressed about me looking in her mouth to check the tube isn't in her trachea I have to give up. Is it safe to jist feel for tue tube in her crop instead as I am assuming if I can feel it it can't be anywhere else? I am also not sure how.much liquid feed to give her as her crop is still very slow to empty and never gets less than half full. She also has air collecting berween her crop ans skin which I am assuming is from the surgery. I really want to try to get her better as we have come so far and she is fighting to stay here but I dob't want to do anything that is going to keep stressing her. I am hoping if I can tube feed confidently so its done and over quickly it will give her the feed she needs to turn a corner and get her eating on her own before she loses anymore weight.

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dcw2806 said:

Sadly we lost her. I took her to a specialist and she had a large tumour on her liver which had been bleeding so the impacted crop was because she was poorly rather than the original problem which is why she hadn't started eating after the surgery. At least I now know a very good vet to go to if I get any more poorly chickens.

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