Depressed, malnourished Easter Egger, won't eat, please help

[Seiryu]

My 3 month old Easter Egger Luci lost her best friend, the rooster to a fox and I began noticing that all she would do is lie down in the nesting box. I figured it was normal, she was depressed. But a few days later she still hadn't moved. I picked her up and she was all bone, no meat. She can't stand and when I help her she wobbles. I took her inside to try nursing her back to health. Now all she's doing is lying down and she does nothing but sleep. I think she must have been losing weight before her buddy died. The adult pellets I think she couldn't eat yet. I switched back and she ate a bit yesterday but no matter how hard I'm trying, she won't eat today. I put her beak in her water and she drinks just a bit. And she pooped but I don't know if it's normal or... Its runny clear pasty with some white. I got her durvet vitamins and electrolytes and put it in her water today...She's my favorite chicken and I'm really worried about her...if anyone can help I'd really appreciate it...

 

[Sutremaine]

Perhaps she'd be tempted by some whisked egg? Offer a drop from your fingertip, maybe drip it onto the end of her beak.

If you can get hold of Critical Care Formula quickly, try that too. I bought a container just in case, and ended up having to use it all up before it went out of date (probably wouldn't have mattered...). The chickens were utterly hypnotised by it.

Her poop suggests that nothing is going through. If it's because of a blockage, then she needs to be on a smooth liquid diet. If there's no physical impediment and she's drinking but not eating, then she can drink her food.

 

[Seiryu]

Is there anywhere in Virginia that sells critical care formula? I can only seem to find it in the UK. It won't get here quickly...I'll try the whisked egg. Thank you.

 

[Sutremaine]

CCF itself: "The product is a mixture of selected short chain maltodextrins (derived from corn starch) and a protein concentrate supplemented with amino acids. The protein source has been designed to match the constituents of whole egg protein."

You've got the egg. Protein powder and amino acid supplements can possibly be acquired from the pharmacy. If you have a US equivalent of Holland and Barrett, you can try there. Gyms and specialised sports supplement shops (there have been a lot of them popping up lately around here, probably a regional thing) will likely have the maltodextrins as well. All my Google searches for the individual ingredients bring up items with XTREME packaging, so check out any sports sites that deliver to your area quickly.

There probably is a US product designed for the emergency feeding of [insert animal here], but I don't know what it'd be called.

 

[Seiryu]

Thank you. I will go to a sporting store or pharmacy tomorrow to get the stuff to make a CCF for her.

 

[Seiryu]

I wasn't able to go to the store. I looked online at my pharmacy and couldn't find regular protein powder. I made her whisked eggs and put it in a dropper, forcing her to drink. She wouldn't drink on her own and she's just lying down with her legs sprawled out...She can't stand and just plops over onto her side when I try steadying her...She's pooping normally and it's coming out in huge chunks. She still won't eat her starter feed...does anyone know what may be wrong with her and how I can help...?

 

[casportpony]

Is there anywhere in Virginia that sells critical care formula? I can only seem to find it in the UK. It won't get here quickly...I'll try the whisked egg. Thank you.

I tube feed mine with Exact baby bird food, which you can find at Petsmart and Petco. That or I soak turkey/gamebird crumbles, then blend them with a stick blender.

Remember, fluids first to correct hydration status, then food.

-Kathy

 

[Seiryu]

How often are you tube feeding your chicken? I've been giving her, her fluids first with the dropper. Water with vitamins and electrolytes. Then I give her the whisked egg so she gets protein. Today I've been doing it every hour since 8am. She's had 3 feedings since then. 2 dropper full of the egg, 5ml. Then she gets the same of the water. Before and after the egg. I tried mashing the medicated baby chick food in with the egg. Is your chicken recovering?

 

[Seiryu]

Would vanilla flavored protein powder be alright for her? Since she's a chicken I don't know what would be okay for her and what wouldn't. The protein powder had amino acid in it already. But a lot of other things. I want her to get better and don't want her to get worse or die and it be my fault...

 

[casportpony]

I start by giving fluids at 10-15 ml per pound orally, wait 60-90 minutes and repeat if crop has cleared or mostly cleared, then one more time in 2-4 hours. By then they are usually hydrated enough to start being fed food. Fluids are key, and I cannot stress that enough.

Read this thread and watch the videos below:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/805728/go-team-tube-feeding

Crop feeding videos

These are using a crop needle, not a plastic tube.




This one uses a tube like I use​