Hi, just thought these ideas may help.
For birds that can not drink or you are afraid to try and make them drink:
- I often rehydrate them using a 3ml syringe & 22 ga needle, filled up with a mix of( poly vi sol, or a chicken vitamin (few drops) to a dish of water) then fill the syringe. I insert this just under skin on either side of the back and distribute. Then do it again on the other side of the back. You only want to use a little of the Vitamin at first so it does not overload their system. You can up it a little if they seem like they are getting better. This is what I do if I am afraid I will aspirate the bird.
-Scrambled eggs or warm canned dog food can be helpful in getting a bird to eat.
If a bird will not eat you can open their beak and insert a small amount to try to get them to start on their own.
Redcel for horses(also a chicken version in jeffers) is a good additive for thin/ weak/anemic birds
- If a bird will not eat, and tube feeding is the only option left, this is what I do:
WARNING: Tube feeding is very dangerous and you can easily aspirate /kill your bird if any food is allowed either into the nostril passage on the upper beak or the opening to the lungs behind the tongue.
Jeffers Equine has goat tube feeding syringes for $2.95. I normally buy a couple and cut the tube to different lengths for different birds/turkey.You can also use soft clear tubing on a syringe. I keep baby parrot formula on hand or you can use chick starter, warmed and wet down to a paste(applesauce consistency). I have a flash light, a towel and a helper on hand. I place the chicken on the towel and have my helper hold the chicken and the flash light. I open the mouth and with my thumb, hold the bottom beak and the tongue at the same time. ( My helper shines the light into the mouth. I keep the head and neck in an elevated position and this helps move the opening to their lungs(the opening right behind the tongue) out of the way a little. Taking the end of the syringe I aim in gently to the very right of the inside of the mouth, past and over the opening behind the tongue, and down into the croup. You can see it through the skin, it should go in easily. If not do it again. I gently feel the crop as I push on the plunger, making sure not to over fill it. You do not want it to feel tight. If you add to much quickly suck back the plunger, removing some of the food. It is best to NOT let that happen. It is better to give to little than to much. When you are done quickly remove the tube in one quick motion.
Injured eyes: I flush with saline, oxine and then apply neosporine
Puss in the eye: I flush with saline, remove the hardened puss with soft pressure massage or a pair of tweezers, then rinse with saline/oxine and apply neosporine.
Swollen sinuses: I heat a moist washcloth and apply to swollen sinuses on the bird with soft steady pressure, pushing the liquid etc out the nostrils. When it has seemed to clear, I use Vet RX applied to the nostril area and under wing.
Hope this helps someone.
For birds that can not drink or you are afraid to try and make them drink:
- I often rehydrate them using a 3ml syringe & 22 ga needle, filled up with a mix of( poly vi sol, or a chicken vitamin (few drops) to a dish of water) then fill the syringe. I insert this just under skin on either side of the back and distribute. Then do it again on the other side of the back. You only want to use a little of the Vitamin at first so it does not overload their system. You can up it a little if they seem like they are getting better. This is what I do if I am afraid I will aspirate the bird.
-Scrambled eggs or warm canned dog food can be helpful in getting a bird to eat.
If a bird will not eat you can open their beak and insert a small amount to try to get them to start on their own.
Redcel for horses(also a chicken version in jeffers) is a good additive for thin/ weak/anemic birds
- If a bird will not eat, and tube feeding is the only option left, this is what I do:
WARNING: Tube feeding is very dangerous and you can easily aspirate /kill your bird if any food is allowed either into the nostril passage on the upper beak or the opening to the lungs behind the tongue.
Jeffers Equine has goat tube feeding syringes for $2.95. I normally buy a couple and cut the tube to different lengths for different birds/turkey.You can also use soft clear tubing on a syringe. I keep baby parrot formula on hand or you can use chick starter, warmed and wet down to a paste(applesauce consistency). I have a flash light, a towel and a helper on hand. I place the chicken on the towel and have my helper hold the chicken and the flash light. I open the mouth and with my thumb, hold the bottom beak and the tongue at the same time. ( My helper shines the light into the mouth. I keep the head and neck in an elevated position and this helps move the opening to their lungs(the opening right behind the tongue) out of the way a little. Taking the end of the syringe I aim in gently to the very right of the inside of the mouth, past and over the opening behind the tongue, and down into the croup. You can see it through the skin, it should go in easily. If not do it again. I gently feel the crop as I push on the plunger, making sure not to over fill it. You do not want it to feel tight. If you add to much quickly suck back the plunger, removing some of the food. It is best to NOT let that happen. It is better to give to little than to much. When you are done quickly remove the tube in one quick motion.
Injured eyes: I flush with saline, oxine and then apply neosporine
Puss in the eye: I flush with saline, remove the hardened puss with soft pressure massage or a pair of tweezers, then rinse with saline/oxine and apply neosporine.
Swollen sinuses: I heat a moist washcloth and apply to swollen sinuses on the bird with soft steady pressure, pushing the liquid etc out the nostrils. When it has seemed to clear, I use Vet RX applied to the nostril area and under wing.
Hope this helps someone.
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