Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[ChicoryBlue]

Tube feeding supplies

In case helpful to anyone here are what I found to be the best tube feeding supplies:

Catheter/Tube
People improvise with all sorts of tubing they have around the house but I think it is better to have something that is made with a smooth tip so it doesn't hurt the chicken as it goes down.
If you buy a tube feeding kit they will often come with a red tube that is 14Fr gauge (Fr stands for French which is one very common standard for measuring catheters - the bigger the number the bigger the tube).
I found the 14Fr tubes to be too small (made it harder to push in the feed and easier for a small movement of my hands to end up pulling it out of place, also harder to feel you have it in the right place).
I was advised to use a urinary catheter (for people) - these are commonly available from medical supply companies, Amazon and some pharmacies. A typical size is 16Fr.
Personally I found the whole process less stressful for me and the chicken by using a colonic irrigation catheter used for giving coffee enemas (I have no idea what that is, but it is enough of a 'thing' to be able to source the catheters easily on Amazon). I found a 20Fr or even 22Fr colonic tube to be by far the easiest to use and allowed me to give the feed very fast.
I have never Tube fed a baby chick so all the above applies to fully feathered chickens!

Syringe
You want a syringe that you can just slip the tube on. Called a 'slip tip' or a Luer Slip.
Avoid a 'Luer Lock' end which requires the tube to be screwed on (which it won't do).

A good size syringe allows you to give the full dose of feed without much fuss (think 3 seconds). I was using 50ml or 60ml syringes to give only 30ml feeds because I couldn't find 30ml syringes.

It is a very common problem for the syringe to get very stiff and almost impossible to plunge after a few uses. They are made for single use and the rubber gasket becomes worn after 2-3 uses. I think 5 was the most I ever got out of a syringe.

However, there is a type of syringe called an O-ring syringe which uses a silicone O-ring instead of a rubber gasket and that is much easier to plunge and as far as I can tell is reusable many, many, many times. I found mine on line at a squirrel rescue - he seems out of stock at the moment but I think Amazon may carry them.

Alternatively just be ready to use up a bunch of 50ml syringes!

Food
There are several rehabilitation foods available. They are typically powders that you mix with water until the mixture is goopy enough to go easily through the tube. I started making it too firm - in the end I found a gruel like consistency to work best.
The brand I used and I think @micstrachan does too is Kaytee - which is specifically formulated for birds.
It is quite expensive and has a shortish shelf-life. I freeze the powder so I can keep it longer.

Finally, on BYC and on YouTube there are a number of very good videos and explanations of how to insert the tube and make sure you do not risk aspiration in your bird. With practice I found inserting a tube to be relatively easy and well tolerated.

Hope this helps.

Tax - they are taking over
View attachment 3591568

This is really good but I am not sure how you make sure the tube you get is going to go securely on the syringe you get. I bought the two together and what I got doesn't seem to match - there's a collar below the syringe tip that the collar of the tube is too loose on. No way will it stay in. What is the trick to know there?
This is what I bought. The syringe tip is way too small. I thought I was getting a set made to go together.
EDIT to add that the syringe tip on the ones I got is offset from the middle, not like in this picture. I chose a bad seller I suppose?
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B09V2QSQJP?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

 

[ChicoryBlue]

Tube feeding supplies

In case helpful to anyone here are what I found to be the best tube feeding supplies:

Catheter/Tube
People improvise with all sorts of tubing they have around the house but I think it is better to have something that is made with a smooth tip so it doesn't hurt the chicken as it goes down.
If you buy a tube feeding kit they will often come with a red tube that is 14Fr gauge (Fr stands for French which is one very common standard for measuring catheters - the bigger the number the bigger the tube).
I found the 14Fr tubes to be too small (made it harder to push in the feed and easier for a small movement of my hands to end up pulling it out of place, also harder to feel you have it in the right place).
I was advised to use a urinary catheter (for people) - these are commonly available from medical supply companies, Amazon and some pharmacies. A typical size is 16Fr.
Personally I found the whole process less stressful for me and the chicken by using a colonic irrigation catheter used for giving coffee enemas (I have no idea what that is, but it is enough of a 'thing' to be able to source the catheters easily on Amazon). I found a 20Fr or even 22Fr colonic tube to be by far the easiest to use and allowed me to give the feed very fast.
I have never Tube fed a baby chick so all the above applies to fully feathered chickens!

Syringe
You want a syringe that you can just slip the tube on. Called a 'slip tip' or a Luer Slip.
Avoid a 'Luer Lock' end which requires the tube to be screwed on (which it won't do).

A good size syringe allows you to give the full dose of feed without much fuss (think 3 seconds). I was using 50ml or 60ml syringes to give only 30ml feeds because I couldn't find 30ml syringes.

It is a very common problem for the syringe to get very stiff and almost impossible to plunge after a few uses. They are made for single use and the rubber gasket becomes worn after 2-3 uses. I think 5 was the most I ever got out of a syringe.

However, there is a type of syringe called an O-ring syringe which uses a silicone O-ring instead of a rubber gasket and that is much easier to plunge and as far as I can tell is reusable many, many, many times. I found mine on line at a squirrel rescue - he seems out of stock at the moment but I think Amazon may carry them.

Alternatively just be ready to use up a bunch of 50ml syringes!

Food
There are several rehabilitation foods available. They are typically powders that you mix with water until the mixture is goopy enough to go easily through the tube. I started making it too firm - in the end I found a gruel like consistency to work best.
The brand I used and I think @micstrachan does too is Kaytee - which is specifically formulated for birds.
It is quite expensive and has a shortish shelf-life. I freeze the powder so I can keep it longer.

Finally, on BYC and on YouTube there are a number of very good videos and explanations of how to insert the tube and make sure you do not risk aspiration in your bird. With practice I found inserting a tube to be relatively easy and well tolerated.

Hope this helps.

Tax - they are taking over
View attachment 3591568

I'm sorry you should know I think this is very informative, especially your size tips, and @bgmathteach is correct, it would make for a really good article!

 

[ChicoryBlue]

Try lubricating the rubber ring with vege oil prior to use. It helps but may need to be repeated regularly.

I did that but it wasn't enough, it must be beat, I can't remove the plunger at all now!

 

[bgmathteach]

I did that but it wasn't enough, it must be beat, I can't remove the plunger at all now!

I understand that things wear out - but really? only 2-3 uses before it gets bunged up? I know there could be legitimate reasons, but it boggles the mind that something so basic (syringes have been around forever - maybe not in plastic, but the general design, anyways) I also understand need for sterility in some applications - but still 2 or 3 uses max!!!

 

[Desertvalleychickens]

Good afternoon fluffy butts and all!
Two fluffy butts found in the corner....

And also, now that Tweety is 2 weeks older than when she had her first flight, it is time for Tweety's Second Flight!

 

[Ponypoor]

I did that but it wasn't enough, it must be beat, I can't remove the plunger at all now!

The syringe is not good in that case - I know I had that issue yesterday trying to give my horse some pain meds - I pulled the meds up into the syringe no problem - went to give to the horse and the plunger wouldn't depress! Then I couldn't get the meds back out of the syringe, took all my strength and a lot of swearing to get the meds out into a bowl. I then got a new syringe to use.

 

[Ponypoor]

I understand that things wear out - but really? only 2-3 uses before it gets bunged up? I know there could be legitimate reasons, but it boggles the mind that something so basic (syringes have been around forever - maybe not in plastic, but the general design, anyways) I also understand need for sterility in some applications - but still 2 or 3 uses max!!!

Yup - and I have been fighting this fight for 30 odd years hahaha - now I know that after a few uses I have to use mineral oil and will get a couple more uses, but then it's into the trash.

Tis what tis....

 

[RoyalChick]

This is really good but I am not sure how you make sure the tube you get is going to go securely on the syringe you get. I bought the two together and what I got doesn't seem to match - there's a collar below the syringe tip that the collar of the tube is too loose on. No way will it stay in. What is the trick to know there?
This is what I bought. The syringe tip is way too small. I thought I was getting a set made to go together.
EDIT to add that the syringe tip on the ones I got is offset from the middle, not like in this picture. I chose a bad seller I suppose?
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B09V2QSQJP?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

I think I will go back and edit my post - Luer slip syringes can be too tiny. What you need is a catheter tip which is sort of conical in shape - so you fit it by pushing it all the way to the widest part.
This is a good one to look at (it also explains the difference between the regular ones that wear out after very few uses and the silicone o-ring ones that are designed for re-use).

https://www.amazon.com/Enteral-Feeding-Syringe-Reusable-Silicone/dp/B07BHWCFW4

 

[Ponypoor]

Good afternoon fluffy butts and all!
Two fluffy butts found in the corner....
View attachment 3591929
And also, now that Tweety is 2 weeks older than when she had her first flight, it is time for Tweety's Second Flight!

Awesome fluffy butts and awesome flying Tweety!

 

[ChicoryBlue]

Well I carefully syringe fed Butters about 25 ml of Exact baby formula mixed with water sweetened with honey.
She is out and about but not very active. She wants to hunt, eats and drops greens, didn't eat any worms offered. She sunbathed twice, she's so skinny it feels fine to her whereas Popcorn is panting and wing spreading but still chasing moths. Hazel is wing spreading too. Now resting, but in that sick hen way, Butters is under a sawhorse and a board. The others are preening.

Popcorn is hot, but still ran a robin off when it came near

Butters enjoyed two sunbaths

Hazel's fluffy butt

Popcorn's fluffy butt

Hazel's too