Go team "Tube Feeding!" - Updated 12/29/2019

[casportpony]

Best tube feeding video:

• https://lafeber.com/vet/tube-feeding-birds/

The link above requires a login, but I have the video saved to my drive and can email it if anyone wants it.

Two great threads on how to tube feed:

• https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...cken-and-give-subcutaneous-fluid#post_9910754
• https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...ng-guide-pictures-under-construction.1064392/

From Technical Procedures for the Avian Patient, by
Amy B. Johnson, CVT

Crop Feeding
Crop feeding is the main way to provide nutritional support to sick birds. There are many different formulas on the market including; Harrison’s, Kaytee Exact, Zupreem and Pretty Bird. Kaytee Exact makes a formula exclusively for macaws, which require a higher fat content. Crop feeding should only be administered to well hydrated, normothermic birds that are able to stand on their own. Formula should be mixed to an appropriate thickness to provide adequate caloric intake and should be administered at a temperature between 100˚-102˚F. Crop burns can happen at temperatures greater than this and are often not seen for several days. Symptoms of a bird with a crop burn are decreased appetite and drooling. If the burn is severe enough, a fistula will open in the crop and formula will drain from it.

When crop feeding a bird, calculate the volume to be fed at 3ml per 100gms up to every six hours for adults. Juveniles are fed 10 percent of their body weight several times a day. Always check the crop first for food contents or decreased crop motility before feeding. Weighing the bird at the beginning of every day will help determine if it is receiving the appropriate amount of calories.

Crop feeder or crop needles come in several different sizes depending on the size bird. Crop feeders are stainless steel tubes with a ball at the end. They can be purchased through www.vetspecialtyproducts.com. The bird should be restrained properly while the crop feeder is inserted in the bird’s left side of its mouth and directed toward the right side advancing into the crop. The trachea should be palpated separate from the crop feeder with the ball of the crop feeder in the crop. Once placement is confirmed and with the esophagus occluded by the head, the formula is given quickly. While maintaining occlusion of the esophagus the crop feeder is removed and the bird returned to the cage feet first and slowly letting go of the head, making sure the bird does not regurgitate. In the event that the bird should begin regurgitation, leave the bird alone. Aspiration is more likely to happen if the bird is stressed causing increased respiration and inhalation of formula. Monitor the bird for further respiratory signs and adjust technique or volume at next attempt at crop feeding.

 

[casportpony]

Just wanted to share some crop feeding videos that I found.

Crop feeding videos

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

This one uses a tube like I use

The hardest part is getting them to hold still. Ducks have a different shaped crop, so that's probably why you can't feel it filling. Duck looks like the one on the left:

​

-Kathy

 

[sbhkma]

If you think about it, you'd protest too if someone stuck a tube down your throat
Just make sure you have a good hold on them. I got really good at it and I also use a small flashlight with a rubber handle so I can hold it in my mouth to see easily into their throat to make sure it's going where it needs to go. No clue if ducks have similar anatomy for tubing. I also have a long sleeved t-shirt with the neck opening sewed really small-just enough to fit a chicken head through. Slip the shirt on, then I wrap the sleeves around their body and tie it loosely. Great way to hold a reluctant bird.

 

[Sarevan]

The "tube feeding kit" I found was at Coastal Farm and Ranch. It was tagged as tube feeding for lambs. It is a size 14 french catheter and a large syringe. They had smaller and larger sizes. It was between 3-4 bucks, extra syringe was about a dollar.

So far I have used it on several chickens. I clean it after each use, flushing it out with boiling water, and then run some ACV through it, then rinse again with boiling water. I dry it, then store in a ziplock bag to keep it ready for next patient.

This item has been so useful, flushing out a sour crop, adding water/oil to impacted crop, feeding an Ill bird, getting meds into a bird. The large syringes help in cleaning vent area, feeding without the tube, use when giving by dripping into mouth several birds at once.

So far the syringes and tube have been the most used items in my kit.

 

[casportpony]

More pictures:

 

[DwayneNLiz]

And so much less stressful for bird and humans. Curiously, what did your daughter do to help?

at first she wanted to hold open the birds mouth, but that was a little 'too much' for her to handle, lol, so once the mouth was open i showed her the 3 openings and explained where it needed to go, she held the syringe while we got it position, she felt the crop as it filled
and was fascinated, as she states she wants to be a 'peterinarian'

 

[Krayfish57]

I am a hospital clinician (respiratory therapist) so I am familiar with suction catheters, G-tubes, trache tubes. Where do I find a crop feeding tube/catheter? What size French for a 5 lb chicken? This is extremely informative and detailed.

 

[casportpony]

I use mine just about every day, lol (long story). I have found that anything smaller than an 18 is too small for thicker mixtures, I actually use a 30 when I tube crumbles, otherwise it's a 18 for anyt bird over 400 grams. Jeffers also sells a lamb saver kit, but I don't know what size tube it is. http://www.jefferspet.com/weak-kid-syringe/camid/LIV/cp/S7-W6/cn/330/

 

[casportpony]

I found out tonight that the 14 is too small to feed liquefied crumbles or pellets, it just plugged up unless I cut off the tip. I made due will get a larger one tomorrow. A friend of mine uses surgical tubing but I think it expands too much.

Even an 18 is too small for crumbles unless you put them in a blender first. I'm too lazy, so I use "big Bertha", the 30... Takes less than three mintutes to make the mixture, catch the bird and tube 120ml-180ml (2-3 60ml syringes for the bigger birds).

*Start off giving 2-3 ml per 100 grams of body weight and slowly work up to 5 ml per 100 grams of body weight. The average 5 pound hen should get 45-70 ml to start.

 

[casportpony]

Oh yeh how to tube feed chicks that would be great. I thought of that on the chick I lost a couple weeks ago but couldn't figure out what to use for the tube on what I had on hand. I have small syringes but no tube small enough. If you figure it out please post!

The only *safe* way way I can think of is to to use a small tube, which one would have to buy. For those that like to plan ahead I suggest buying an assortment of tubes. I would recommend buying 1 each of 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18 and if you can find it, a 30. I use the 8 and 10 for chicks and baby pigeons. I actually have a few of all sizes between 8 and 30, but the ones I use most are 8, 10, 18 and 30.

-Kathy