Egg bound

[scratch'n'peck]

how do u force feed?

If you can encourage her to eat something nutritious on her own like scrambled eggs or yogurt mixed with ground chicken feed and vitamins, then that is easier than tube feeding. My chickens love scrambled eggs, so they really have to be sick to reject cooked eggs.

If she is really not eating, then here is a link with directions on tube feeding: https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/...ds-chickens-including-tube-feeding-techniques

When my hen had a slow crop, I took her to the vet and he showed me how to tube feed and gave me the feeding tube.

 

[heartsizedfarm]

If you can encourage her to eat something nutritious on her own like scrambled eggs or yogurt mixed with ground chicken feed and vitamins, then that is easier than tube feeding.  My chickens love scrambled eggs, so they really have to be sick to reject cooked eggs.  

If she is really not eating, then here is a link with directions on tube feeding: https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/...ds-chickens-including-tube-feeding-techniques

When my hen had a slow crop, I took her to the vet and he showed me how to tube feed and gave me the feeding tube.  

Thank you I was loving for that!

 

[heartsizedfarm]

I mean looking. **** autocorrect

 

[the3ofus+oursixchicks]

You have to avoid putting food down her trachea! If you look on her throat there is a hole in the back of her throat, her breathing hole! Put nothing down there she will choke. Introduce the food to the part of her throat that is beside that hole ok?

on either side of the trachea?

 

[scratch'n'peck]

on either side of the trachea?

The photo that was posted earlier in the thread of the peacock's throat gives a good idea of the trachea hole, but it is smaller in a chicken.

So the esophagus is the big tube/opening to the crop, and the trachea is the smaller opening at the base of the tongue. It is like looking at a smaller circle within a larger circle. Actually if you run a feeding tube along the roof of the mouth past the smaller trachea hole it goes into the esophagus. The opening to the trachea is quite a bit smaller in a chicken than a peafowl. It take some work to push a 1/4 inch feeding tube down the trachea, but a feeding tube that size fits pretty easily down the esophagus if the neck is stretched straight.

 

[the3ofus+oursixchicks]

I had someone tell me should was probably broody.

 

[ten chicks]

I had someone tell me should was probably broody.

Have you ever seen a broody hen? When mine are broody they are fluffed up when on nest,growl a lot and are basically grumpy.

 

[the3ofus+oursixchicks]

yes I have had a broody hen before. I told them I didn't think she was because I had seen one before and they said they have had hens that weren't irritated when they were broody. she does bock a little when the others come close to her when she is in the yard, she is lowest in pecking order and they said that somewtimes the low one isn't as irritable as the higher up ones. im still on the fence about that. I don't know. she did get back on the nest tho.

 

[ten chicks]

yes I have had a broody hen before. I told them I didn't think she was because I had seen one before and they said they have had hens that weren't irritated when they were broody. she does bock a little when the others come close to her when she is in the yard, she is lowest in pecking order and they said that somewtimes the low one isn't as irritable as the higher up ones. im still on the fence about that. I don't know. she did get back on the nest tho.

Hmm,even my girl on the low end of pecking order(normally the sweetest girl) when broody is a grumpy,growling,screaming girl. All my hens when broody act this way.

What is really awesome is when i have 4 broody hens at the same time and a cat in heat. Yup,that is what i have right now,so much fun!! Nothing like screaming/hissing/growling/grumpy females to make my day awesome,then add to mix 2 teenage daughters. Now they are all growling/grumpy and screaming at each other. My daughters yell at each other if one of them goes uninvited into their room and "borrows" clothes,reminds me of my hens screaming at each other if one enters nest box uninvited. Fun times!! at least the cat will be fixed.

 

[the3ofus+oursixchicks]

yes that's why im on the fence about it. but I have read a little more about being broody and I read they peck their feathers out. my girl is really pecking at her feathers. her poop is pretty big I read that's a sign too. its never the same its either big and runny with yellow and green, semi runny with green today it was a BIG dark green blob. I sure hope that's what it is. so worried. they told me to give her a day or a few days and reassess her. this has been going on since Saturday probably.