Chicken digestive problems

[Lydia parker]

I have recently taken my Sussex chicken to the vet due to severe weight loss recently. I have been told part of her gut has stopped working and she is struggling to digest her normal seed diet. I have been told she needs to be fed every 2 hours on high energy, easily digestible foods such as rice and oats. She has been eating these but I want her to have other foods too and am struggling to find other foods which she can easily digest and get energy from. Does any one else know any other foods she can have that she will easily digest?
Thanks!

 

[staceyj]

Scrambled eggs perhaps? Or chick crumble moistened with water.
There’s very little nutrition in rice or oats and too much oats block vitamin absorption, also seeds are usually a challenge to digest.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Sorry your chook isn't well.

I would also say eggs are supposed to be easily digestible, but also loaded with nutrients like vitamins, minerals, and amino acids. Chickens NEED amino acids from an ANIMAL source. Our vegetarian chicken feeds have the amino acids added in.

And I would add some sort of white protein to your rice mix... in addition to getting a good vitamin supplement like poultry nutri drench or one of the rooster booster products. White protein would be tuna, poached skinless chicken breast, or other white fish.

Please tell me what you mean by "seed diet"? Have you been feeding a formulated chicken ration or something else? What do you feed including treats and supplements on a regular basis?

How did the vet diagnose the gut not working? Was it an avian vet? Did they run a fecal float for worms or coccidia? How old is your Sussex? Do you have other birds? Does she (Sussex) have access to grit of any sort which is REQUIRED for digestion in chickens?

All question are only to help so there is no wrong answer or judgement coming from me.

Hope recovery comes quick!

 

[PirateGirl]

What about something like plain greek yogurt? It would offer some different things nutritionally than the rice and oats.

 

[townchicks]

I recently went through a very similar thing with my EE. The vet listened for gizzard sounds,( none present) that was how she was diagnosed. My girl had a lot of grit in her crop, and not much else, so that wasn't it. The vet ( one of the top avian hospitals in the state) thought it likely started because of internal laying. They gave her fluids and pain meds and sent her home with an anti-inflammatory( Rimadyl, 25mgs 1/2 tab 2 x day). She started eating again as soon as she got pain meds. Maybe you can mix a baby aspirin in some yogurt? I learned you can also shove a pill down their throat.

 

[townchicks]

Oh, and they ran a fecal, nothing seen.

 

[Hen Pen Jem]

Greetings Lydia parker,

I am assuming your sussex is a pet chicken? She will need a lot of attention and specially prepared meals. I have done this many times, for many chickens. It's not hard if you prepare things in advance and refrigerate them.

When chickens go off feed, there are many things they can eat. If you cook the grains, vegies, and protein, it will be easy for her to digest them. A diet of rice and oats will not provide the essential, protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals and fats that the chicken needs. Chickens are omnivores.

I like to prepare what I call "confetti meals" for chickens that go off feed. They consist of the following:

• Carbohydrates (energy) - cooked brown rice, pearl barley, oat groats, wheat berries, shredded potato, corn niblets or creamed corn, a small amount of cooked pasta occasionally (orzo, and bits of vermicelli are good).
• Cooked protein - Turkey, tofu, white albacore, beef, pork, egg (ground meats are best for your chicken)
• Cooked vegetables - Fresh or Frozen vegies (dice green beans)
• Fresh greens - kale, chard, mustard, turnip tops, diced cucumber
• Fruits - cooked apple, a bit of diced fresh black or red grapes, diced pear (cooked or fresh), small amount of melon, diced fresh or cooked tomato

When putting together meal combinations, start with just two or three things. Monitor the chicken's ability to digest the food. If she poops soft but with bulk, this is good. Firm is best, but may take a few weeks to establish. If the chicken doesn't eat something, or gets diarrhea or constipation, don't give it again. Although, none of my chickens ever had a problem with any of the foods, except melon, as, it has a high water content.

You may also want to sprinkle a vitamin on her food (Vionate for Pets, is good), or you can administer a poultry vitamin like Nutri-Drench orally two to three days a week.

Without knowing what part of her gut is not working well, it's hard to suggest something to heal it. But adding echinacea herb to her diet would be good to improve her immune system. It can be added by sprinkling the powdered herb on food, or making a cup of tea and diluting it into 2 quarts of water. The addition of a good probiotic for poultry would also benefit her.

There are other experimental amino acids that may help, but you should try working on her diet first.

These are my thoughts on your chickens issue. I hope I have been helpful.

God Bless.

 

[PirateGirl]

 

[Lydia parker]

Sorry your chook isn't well.

I would also say eggs are supposed to be easily digestible, but also loaded with nutrients like vitamins, minerals, and amino acids. Chickens NEED amino acids from an ANIMAL source. Our vegetarian chicken feeds have the amino acids added in.

And I would add some sort of white protein to your rice mix... in addition to getting a good vitamin supplement like poultry nutri drench or one of the rooster booster products. White protein would be tuna, poached skinless chicken breast, or other white fish.

Please tell me what you mean by "seed diet"? Have you been feeding a formulated chicken ration or something else? What do you feed including treats and supplements on a regular basis?

How did the vet diagnose the gut not working? Was it an avian vet? Did they run a fecal float for worms or coccidia? How old is your Sussex? Do you have other birds? Does she (Sussex) have access to grit of any sort which is REQUIRED for digestion in chickens?

All question are only to help so there is no wrong answer or judgement coming from me.

Hope recovery comes quick!

Sorry your chook isn't well.

I would also say eggs are supposed to be easily digestible, but also loaded with nutrients like vitamins, minerals, and amino acids. Chickens NEED amino acids from an ANIMAL source. Our vegetarian chicken feeds have the amino acids added in.

And I would add some sort of white protein to your rice mix... in addition to getting a good vitamin supplement like poultry nutri drench or one of the rooster booster products. White protein would be tuna, poached skinless chicken breast, or other white fish.

Please tell me what you mean by "seed diet"? Have you been feeding a formulated chicken ration or something else? What do you feed including treats and supplements on a regular basis?

How did the vet diagnose the gut not working? Was it an avian vet? Did they run a fecal float for worms or coccidia? How old is your Sussex? Do you have other birds? Does she (Sussex) have access to grit of any sort which is REQUIRED for digestion in chickens?

All question are only to help so there is no wrong answer or judgement coming from me.

Hope recovery comes quick!

Hello sorry I have only just seen this. The Sussex lives with 5 others. She started to lose weight before they all came to live with her, she lives with another chicken before that who passed away not long ago before the others moved in. I am not aware of her age as she is at the animal sanctuary I work at and all of our chickens have been dumped on our sanctuary by people so her age is unknown but she isn’t young. She has layers pellets and she always has access to grit. She has varied treats such as melon, cabbage, cucumber, carrot and a few other things. Although I have stopped this now until I know she can easily digest certain foods as to prevent her from losing more weight by trying to digest them. The vet who diagnosed her is an avian vet and has seen this many times. He said her gut isn’t as bad as he has seen before but isn’t good. She had been wormed previously as we thought the weight loss could have been that but she still continued to lose, and that’s when we took her to the vets.
She has been having egg everyday boiled and scrambled as she loves it and is good for them and she can digest easily. And has also been having tuna which she loves.

Thanks

 

[Lydia parker]

Greetings Lydia parker,

I am assuming your sussex is a pet chicken? She will need a lot of attention and specially prepared meals. I have done this many times, for many chickens. It's not hard if you prepare things in advance and refrigerate them.

When chickens go off feed, there are many things they can eat. If you cook the grains, vegies, and protein, it will be easy for her to digest them. A diet of rice and oats will not provide the essential, protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals and fats that the chicken needs. Chickens are omnivores.

I like to prepare what I call "confetti meals" for chickens that go off feed. They consist of the following:

• Carbohydrates (energy) - cooked brown rice, pearl barley, oat groats, wheat berries, shredded potato, corn niblets or creamed corn, a small amount of cooked pasta occasionally (orzo, and bits of vermicelli are good).
• Cooked protein - Turkey, tofu, white albacore, beef, pork, egg (ground meats are best for your chicken)
• Cooked vegetables - Fresh or Frozen vegies (dice green beans)
• Fresh greens - kale, chard, mustard, turnip tops, diced cucumber
• Fruits - cooked apple, a bit of diced fresh black or red grapes, diced pear (cooked or fresh), small amount of melon, diced fresh or cooked tomato

When putting together meal combinations, start with just two or three things. Monitor the chicken's ability to digest the food. If she poops soft but with bulk, this is good. Firm is best, but may take a few weeks to establish. If the chicken doesn't eat something, or gets diarrhea or constipation, don't give it again. Although, none of my chickens ever had a problem with any of the foods, except melon, as, it has a high water content.

You may also want to sprinkle a vitamin on her food (Vionate for Pets, is good), or you can administer a poultry vitamin like Nutri-Drench orally two to three days a week.

Without knowing what part of her gut is not working well, it's hard to suggest something to heal it. But adding echinacea herb to her diet would be good to improve her immune system. It can be added by sprinkling the powdered herb on food, or making a cup of tea and diluting it into 2 quarts of water. The addition of a good probiotic for poultry would also benefit her.

There are other experimental amino acids that may help, but you should try working on her diet first.

These are my thoughts on your chickens issue. I hope I have been helpful.

God Bless.

Thank you so much for the list of foods you have provided that has helped so much. She’s been having other foods Incliding meats, vegetables and others but I will definitely try these foods you have suggested. I really appreciate you taking the time to do that for me. She is doing well and is much perkier and active than when I first wrote this post. The vet never said which part of the gut it was but said it cannot get better and we will only have her for a certain amount of time. I’m hoping it’s longer than a few weeks like he said but keeping a close eye on her.
Thank you again.