How to t feed a sick chicken and give subcutaneous fluid

[whamo]

I did it! I started reading this thread on Saturday. I have a Buff Orpington, Huevos, who has been on antibiotics and has been puny for about a week. She went off her vittles Friday, eating very little over the weekend. Let her at my vet today, no outward signs of anything wrong except that she's lost some weight and isn't feeling well. He set me up with a cath tube and syringe, I already had the parrot food.

I've force fed a lot of cats - chickens are SO much easier! Hopefully Huevos will start feeling better soon with some good food inside her. Thank you for starting this thread and making clear it is not difficult and can help a chicken that (hopefully) just needs to eat to get back on her feet and back into her coop.

 

[MrsBrooke]

I did it! I started reading this thread on Saturday. I have a Buff Orpington, Huevos, who has been on antibiotics and has been puny for about a week. She went off her vittles Friday, eating very little over the weekend. Let her at my vet today, no outward signs of anything wrong except that she's lost some weight and isn't feeling well. He set me up with a cath tube and syringe, I already had the parrot food.

I've force fed a lot of cats - chickens are SO much easier! Hopefully Huevos will start feeling better soon with some good food inside her. Thank you for starting this thread and making clear it is not difficult and can help a chicken that (hopefully) just needs to eat to get back on her feet and back into her coop.

Well done!

MrsB

 

[casportpony]

Money saving tube feeding tip. Baby bird food is expensive, right? Well I just tried an experiment... Took some turkey starter crumbles, soaked them in warm water for about an hour, then used a stick blender until smooth. Doing this they pass easily thru a size 18 French catheter.

-Kathy

 

[jag1876]

Hi, great information.
How do you secure your OG or crop tubes?
thanks,
vicky

 

[casportpony]

Hi, great information.
How do you secure your OG or crop tubes?
thanks,
vicky

Welcome to BYC!

Secure the tube? Do you mean how do I keep it from coming out?

-Kathy

 

[jag1876]

Hi, yeah, how do you stop it popping back out?
Thank you

 

[casportpony]

Hi, yeah, how do you stop it popping back out?
Thank you

I hold the birds very still with their neck, head, and beak as straight up as possible. Then I insert the tube, and the act of occluding the esophagus usually helps keep it it place.

-Kathy

 

[NeeCee51]

When giving the saline solution under the wing do you give all 60cc at once and do that once a day or give some a little at a time?

 

[NeeCee51]

When giving the 60cc of saline do you give it all at once and do that once a day or give it a little at a time over the day?

 

[casportpony]

When giving the saline solution under the wing do you give all 60cc at once and do that once a day or give some a little at a time?

Saline or sodium chloride?

-Kathy