Feeding Starved chickens?

[tiki244]

I just just acquired some chickens that for all practical purposes seem to be starving to death. They had no food or water when I was there, and they have empty crops, and they are in poor shape. My question is is there a way to feed them so they don't get sick, like overeat or something? Or does anyone have any good recipes to get their energy up and make them feel better? Thanks

 

[tiki244]

Oh yeah when I get home they will be quarantined from the rest of my chickens too.

 

[ranchhand]

Good for you Kris! Quarantine is very important, as well as really close examination every 3 days or so.

I've gotten starving chickens before, my solution was to give a little feed, let them eat it, then give some more an hour later. Just so their system has time to readjust. And keep doing that until the stop making the choking sounds from eating too fast. I put vitamins in their water as well. Day 3 was when I started adding a few treats like eggs, veggies etc. The key is to go slowly.

Best of luck with them.

 

[tiki244]

Thanks ranchhand. I am going to make a copy of your post and need to go home to get the chickens setup. Thanks a lot.

 

[MSDeb]

I would also take care to keep them on the warm side as they are probably stressed from the starvation. We got some hens like that a couple of months ago. It didn't take too long to get them looking good, along with scratch and hog mash we gave them lots of greens, cabbage, beets, bananas, apples, and as the previous poster said added vitamins to their water. The ones we got also had coccidiosis so after they got stronger we wormed them.

Good luck!

 

[rolffamily]

Where did you get starving chickens? Why were they?

 

[tiki244]

Just got back on. One of the chckens choked when it first started eating and I was unable to save her. They were fighting and pecking a lot to get at the food and making gagging sounds. They are kinda visciouse to me too but they have settled down just in the last two days. Eating well, but poop still yucky. I fed them some cooked eggs this morning and they are took them from me without biting me. I am giving them probiotics and vitamins and at first I thought they were sick but now I notice they are all looking and sounding good other than being frantic with food and poor feather quality an yucky poo. Thanks everyone.

 

[geebs]

Give them cranberry sauce and put tumeric in their rations along with some internal grade DE... you can put some vinegar in their water also.. All these things will help their immunity build..You will note that the combs start turning red Immediatly.

 

[Kittymomma]

I've used pumpkin on other critters to help even out digestive issues. I think adding a bit to the chooks diet would work well too. Good luck and what a wonderfull thing you're doing!

 

[tiki244]

thanks for the advice, I will try these things