Desperately need advice

[Searingstallion]

I have a 9 year old chicken who I’ve been forced feeding for the past 8 months cause for some reason she has stopped eating took her to the vet and said that she’s not in any pain or discomfort and to just keep doing what I’m doing so I have been and it has been fine definitely slowed down a lot but still seems to enjoy life lately though tube feeding has been tough lately hearing clicking sounds so I assume it was a respiratory issue took her to the vet and confirmed it was gave me antibiotics I assume she has aspiration pneumonia possibly from sometimes tube feeding incorrectly lately I almost drowned her 2 and feel terrible about it the respiratory issues has made it much harder to tube feed anyway the problem I’m having is she’s been on the medication for about ten days and I don’t hear the clicking sound as much but still having trouble with tube feeding finally had my dad help me with it so that I can see where to put the tube cause I feel like if I keep messing up her lungs are never going to fully heal so for the past two days I see her standing sometimes with her eyes shut and I take it as a bad sign no hunching though the first time she did it i thought it was time so I had a vet come out later that day during the day she seemed to brighten up a did a little dust bath I let her out and she was walking around and pecking at things so the vet said it probably wasn’t time but to keep watching her so I have been yesterday she did none of that eyes closed today she is let her out and she brightened up but what I’m worried about is if she’s going to beat this respiratory infection cause it seems to be taking longer than I expected to see better results even though the medication she gave me lasted about two weeks and I searched online and said it could take a while but I don’t want her to suffer or fail her I feel like it’s my fault this is evening happening all I want for her is to enjoy life and be happy it’s hard to watch her standing there looking miserable this chicken has brought so much joy over the years and this was my way of giving back has anyone had a respiratory infection like that take long to heal? I just want to do what’s right for her

 

[kattabelly]

At nine years old she's pretty old for a hen. If she stopped eating independently eight months ago and you're now struggling to tube feed, there's a good chance she has something taking up space in her abdominal cavity that's making it difficult for her to eat. That could be something like a tumor, or lash egg material, or ascites.

What does her belly feel like, and is her crop emptying ok in between feeds?

 

[Searingstallion]

Her stomach is nice and soft her crop is emptying except for this little ball of food that I make smaller with massaging her crop before the respiratory infection it was emptying all the way

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Are you tube feeding like this? See how the syringe is going down along the side of her neck so nothing can get into the windpipe at the back of the throat?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

9 year old chicken who I’ve been forced feeding for the past 8 months cause for some reason she has stopped eating took her to the vet and said that she’s not in any pain or discomfort and to just keep doing what I’m doing so I have been and it has been fine definitely slowed down a lot but still seems to enjoy life lately though tube feeding has been tough lately hearing clicking sounds so I assume it was a respiratory issue took her to the vet and confirmed it was gave me antibiotics I assume she has aspiration pneumonia

I assume she has aspiration pneumonia possibly from sometimes tube feeding incorrectly lately I almost drowned her 2 and feel terrible about it the respiratory issues has made it much harder to tube feed anyway the problem I’m having is she’s been on the medication for about ten days and I don’t hear the clicking sound as much but still having trouble with tube feeding finally had my dad help me with it so that I can see where to put the tube cause I feel like if I keep messing up her lungs are never going to fully heal so for the past two days I see her standing sometimes with her eyes shut and I take it as a bad sign

Sounds like you have been successfully force feeding/tube feeding for the last 8months.

What has recently changed that you are now having a hard time with the tube feeding? Or have you struggled with this the last 8months?

Does she have any lesions or mucous in the esophageous that is making it difficult to get the feeding tube down?
Is the crop not emptying and blocking the tube?

8 months is a long time to tube a bird, she may have some scar tissue. At 9yrs of age, she's getting on up there, so consider quality of life each step of the way.


You may find this video helpful.

 

[BDutch]

Sorry to hear the force feeding didn’t make her better. After such a long time I wouldn’t expect her to get better.
If she is getting miserable, I would consider to say goodbye to this 9yo chicken. No doubt she had a wonderful with you.

There are a few options you can choose from if you feel its time to say goodbye. Stop feeding her so she will die in her own pace. Or ask the vet or someone else who is willing to end her life more abruptly if you think she suffers.

Wish you strength with whatever is coming next.