I'm sorry about your hen. If you can't get her to eat, she will likely pass. If I were you, I would start tube feeding. You can tube the medications/oil along with feed, and that will hopefully help her recover. @casportpony has experience with tube feeding, she may be able to help. She also has articles written about it which I will link below.
She still has a lot of “pep in her step” when I try to grab her or open her beak. How would I even tube feed??
it makes me feel horrible that I did this to her. She is our pet and I brought in an outsider, got her sick, and now this.
We all learn from our mistakes, unforutnely in the venture of chicken keeping, we often learn the hard way.She still has a lot of “pep in her step” when I try to grab her or open her beak. How would I even tube feed??
Even if you did quarantine, its so so hard to keep them separate enough to not transmit disease. The only way to reduce the risk caused by new birds, is to not get new birds. For most hobby chicken keepers, we decide to take the risk.
I haven’t been able to catch her to feel her crop. I also have never felt the crop before so I’m not quite sure what I’m looking for but I’ll try it tonight when they go into the coop for the night. To give some color, about 2 weeks ago (a couple days after I brought the new hens in) she started sneezing and coughing, which is when I put her on clavamox per vet recommendation. She wasn’t tolerating it well and stopped eating a lot and was a little lethargic. The vet told me to stop giving it to her. She perked up after about 24 hours and was acting normal but then threw up. I thought it was just that she still had an upset stomach after the medication. Then, today, she’s back to wheezing and is acting weird. Won’t eat from my hand. I’ve only witnessed a few poops but both have been yellowy heated and kind of liquidy. It’s almost like it’s all urate and no brown. I’ve already spent $300 on the vet bill and I’m at a loss now. I will try to tube feed if that’s my only option but I’m just feeling very guilty and defeated. Haven’t slept well in days. Everytime I go to the coop and she’s not out and about, I open the door expecting to find her dead. It’s been horrible.We all learn from our mistakes, unforutnely in the venture of chicken keeping, we often learn the hard way.
I'm sorry your going through this, its so hard. As a fellow infected flock owner, I understand. (ALV)
I linked an article written by @casportpony on tube feeding, it should be a step by step guide. You'll need a tube feeding catheter like this one- https://www.amazon.com/LBH-Market-Feeding-Kendall-Syringe/dp/B08GJVXF7N/ref=sr_1_5?crid=DIY2ODIR0U69&keywords=tube+feeding+kit+for+puppies&qid=1648589405&sprefix=tube+feeding+,aps,480&sr=8-5
Its for puppies. You may be able to find one locally, but I've never went shopping for one so wouldn't know. It may be worth calling around. Then get some Kaytee baby bird formal. That will be runny enough to easily flow through the syringe and into the tube.
I have never tube fed before, so I would visit that article for info on insertion, and how much to tube, etc.
Is your hens crop empty? How much food will she eat on her own? What does her crop feel like? Doughy, enlarged, hard, squishy, or flat? These are good things to know before tube feeding, just to rule out a crop blockage or impaction which may cause decreased appetite.
That poop make it sound like she's not eating. I tagged some members that will have more experience with respiratory infections, maybe they have more advice. I would try tube feeding, she needs to eat to keep her strength up.
Hi. All my hens do that-when they see me. I read a long time ago that it was some behavior/reaction left over from when birds use to feed their young (ancestral) . I think it's kind of funny.
Looks like she's adjusting her crop. Please check to make sure her crop is emptying overnight.
she was coughing and sneezing last week. Then she stopped for a few days after the first few days of medication. Now, it’s wheezing. One of my other hens had eye bubbles but after the week of medication, she’s all better. I called the vet back and let them know she is sick again and they are going to give me Tylan to pick up in the morning.
