5 year old hen, thin, eating active, but slowing down.. diarhrea with yellow white slime

[Bocktobery 10]

I boiled the tubing for about 10 minutes. When cooling it turned white, it was clear (see through) before. Can I still use this? Or is there some sort of chemical problem that might have come by me boiling it?

Also, is it that you push the tube down the birds left side of the throat? Will it go down rather smoothly or will it be difficult to go down?

 

[enola]

The tubing needs to be heated on the tip that goes down her throat. Heat it until the edges are no longer sharp. Boiling the tubing did not accomplish this. Good luck!

 

[casportpony]

The tubing needs to be heated on the tip that goes down her throat. Heat it until the edges are no longer sharp. Boiling the tubing did not accomplish this. Good luck!

Yes, it must be melted with a lighter to make it smooth.

-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

I boiled the tubing for about 10 minutes. When cooling it turned white, it was clear (see through) before. Can I still use this? Or is there some sort of chemical problem that might have come by me boiling it?

Also, is it that you push the tube down the birds left side of the throat? Will it go down rather smoothly or will it be difficult to go down?

The tube need to go down their "right" side, not their left. Insert on their left, but aim for their right and it should go down easily. Will PM you my phone number.

-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

Kathy,

Thank you for the links and the write ups. They are really helpful. I watched all of those videos probably about five times now (I have watched them before with other sick chickens I have) but I don't feel confident I can do this. I don't really have the equipment to do it. I'm thinking about calling my vet in the morning, though I don't know when she will have a chance to get back to me. Probably evening tomorrow- their clinic is very busy. I don't think she'd have a crop needle (she's not an avian vet) but she might have some things that would work better.

I'm kind of confused because the Aussie bird dr. in the video (sorry I can't remember his name, he did a great job with the videos) said not to use a curved crop needle, but in the third one posted the people used a curved on on a chicken. I'm just not that familiar with the whole system down there- PLUS, I'm not even clear on the calculations... When I figure out (on my own) how much water you said to give her- I'm afraid it would be about 2 cups of water? I think she'd throw that up and choke. I don't have a very big syringe either- biggest I have is a 12 cc. So if she needs 15 mL per pound, and she is five pounds that would be 72 mL, which I'm not sure if that is 72 cc's or ? I don't know a thing about what I'm doing. I'm daring when it comes to trying to save my creatures, yes, but when I know I'm in the dark about something, I just stop. I want to do this for my hen's sake, but I really think I'd end up choking her. She chokes ever single time I give her the nutri drench. !

Well, even though I said all that, I'm going to go see if I have some fish tank air hose.


Thank you again. This is really helpful. I'm just really nervous to do this. I don't want to hurt my hen.

If she is five pounds she'll need about 75 ml, but you could start with half that.

FYI, 1ml = 1cc, they are the same thing.

-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

Your small animal vet should have a size 18 french rubber tube and a 60 ml syringe. Please do not attempt to tube her until you call me.

-Kathy

 

[Bocktobery 10]

The tubing needs to be heated on the tip that goes down her throat. Heat it until the edges are no longer sharp. Boiling the tubing did not accomplish this. Good luck!

Yes, it must be melted with a lighter to make it smooth.

-Kathy

The boiling of the tube was something separate that I did that I was asking about. Before I boiled the tubing (to get any impurites out as its been sitting in a dusty place) I used a match to burn the one end. It felt pretty soft yesterday, today it seems a bit hard. It also 'doughnut'-ed out- is this ok? Meaning, where I burned and melted, it melted so that there is a doughnut around the tube.

I was concerned about the boiling of the tube- coudl I have released any chemicals that might get my hen sick? Its not like air line tubing is meant to be boiled. I did notice that the color of the tubing went back to clear after about a day. Maybe 'cloudy' tubes means that they are wet inside (something you don't really want in fish tanks). Anyway, that was what my question was about. I did burn the end. It seems soft, but wider at the tip due to the 'doughnut' effect.

 

[Bocktobery 10]

Your small animal vet should have a size 18 french rubber tube and a 60 ml syringe. Please do not attempt to tube her until you call me.

-Kathy

Yes, I did want to say I just got your PM. Sorry that I did not get it last night. I think you are on the West Coast- I'm on the East. So we've got about a 4 hr difference- sorry I missed your note last night, otherwise I would have called.

I was busy all day- but got to her this morning, she looked very promising... She was moving around, seemed a bit more upbeat, and was anxious to eat her food I brought to her. (hungry) She ate about half of the dish of food right then and there. She also drank probably about 12 to 20 cc's I'd guess, of water in her dish. I had to go, so I felt good about leaving her since she showed more pep. Unfortunately this evening- I just got home about an hour ago and just finished up other chores- I noticed she did not finish any of of food nor touched any more of her water, so I WILL have to tube her I'm sure of it now. I do think the Enrofloxin is doing it work! Now, if I can get the nourishment into her, maybe she will get better.

Luckily, I went out and found a 60 cc syringe at Trac. Supply before coming home. I did not find any catheters or lamb feeding kits, and I did not get a chance to get to my vet.

So i will have to use the air tube.

 

[Bocktobery 10]

If she is five pounds she'll need about 75 ml, but you could start with half that.

FYI, 1ml = 1cc, they are the same thing.

-Kathy

Just wanted to note that she seems like she is having difficulty keeping food and water down.. I hear some sort of gurgling in her throat and something like a hiccup... So I'm real worried that tubing so much water is just going to come up. Is that a problem with asphyxiation?

 

[Bocktobery 10]

im calling the vet now... they close soon and they are checking to see if they

Your small animal vet should have a size 18 french rubber tube and a 60 ml syringe. Please do not attempt to tube her until you call me.

-Kathy

Yeah, I just called my local vet- was lucky to get someone since they close at this time. They spoke to the vet there and also so a technician that has chickens herself, but they said they didn't have the tubing you suggested and the lady who as the chickens never tube fed before. They suggested another vet close by, but unfortunately they are closed.

I guess I will have to use the air line tubing. Kathy, I'll be calling when its about 4pm your time. Is that ok? You might still be at work right now. Its evening- 7:30 pm here already.

I am reading all sorts of conflicting things about where the tube goes. I'm not sure I can do this. Everyone says a different thing.