Hen Losing Weight

[BayBay Peepers]

Would it be alright to keep her in a large dog crate inside? Usually I just put any sick ones in the tub filled with shavings and they're calm enough to stay put. Since she' s not as comfortable with me I don't think she'll stay put. The thought of tube feeding is a little nerve racking. I see you have a link in your signature box I'll be looking at that a dozen or so times.

 

[casportpony]

Dog crate is fine if you can place it n a warm room. I guarantee I can teach you how to tube if you watch the videos, read the info in the team tube thread, get a tube, syringe and Kaytee Baby Bird Food. Tubing won't cure her, but it will buy more time so you can rule out treatable conditions like worms and coccidiosis.

-Kathy

 

[BayBay Peepers]

Crossing my fingers that it's something treatable. Besides Kaytee baby bird food is there anything else I can or should give her?

 

[casportpony]

Crickets, mealworms, eggs, turkey or gamebird crumbles are things I feed when I have a sick one. Is taking her to a vet an option? I understand if it isn't.

If you have a small animal vet, call and ask them for a size 18 french rubber catheter and a 35 ml or 60 ml catheter tip syringe for tube feeding your chicken. If they don't have an 18, get the biggest one they have. if they refuse to sell one to you, call around until you find a vet that will.

-Kathy

 

[BayBay Peepers]

There is a vet about an hour and a half from here. I took a hen in with a prolapsed vent a few times. They're pricey, but they did take the best care they could for her. I'll call the vets around town to see if they will sell me the catheter and syringe. If she can hold out until Monday I can probably get an appointment for her.

*as a side not the vets here told me they don't work on large farm animals, when I explained it was a chicken the receptionist was offended by my confusion haha

I used my lunch break to buy a scale at Farm and Fleet, but of all the bird feeds they have they didn't have kaytee baby bird food. I asked if they had anything similar and got a blank stare as response. Wouldn't even offer an educated guess. But that's my problem not theirs at the moment.

 

[casportpony]

You can get Kaytee at Petsmart and Petco. If no one will sell you the tube and syringe, get 18" of aquarium airline and the biggest syringe you can find that fits.

-Kathy

 

[BayBay Peepers]

Ok, will do! Why so large? Or will I find that when I look at the videos?

 

[BayBay Peepers]

Nevermind it's not as big as I imagined. I was overlooking the threads. Videos are next and I think I can do this.

 

[BayBay Peepers]

I'm going to call the vets around here in a few minutes, but I see Farm and Fleet has a 14 tube. Is that too small? And I did find baby bird feed online. It's about 40 minutes for me to get to a Pet Smart so thats not too bad.

 

[casportpony]

I'm going to call the vets around here in a few minutes, but I see Farm and Fleet has a 14 tube.  Is that too small?  And I did find baby bird feed online.  It's about 40 minutes for me to get to a Pet Smart so thats not too bad. 

A 14 will work, but 18 would be easier because it's bigger and the food flows through it better.

-Kathy