How to t feed a sick chicken and give subcutaneous fluid

[jennismith2]

I'm happy to report that Little Red is back with the flock! I gave her one last tubefeeding and then slipped her into the coop last night. This morning she was happily pecking food and seemed just as active as the other chickens! Yeah!

I'm gonna keep a close eye on her, of course, but so far she looks good. I'm so happy she recovered....I truly thought she might die.

Thanks to everyone for their comments and advice. I found that the baby bird formula recommended earlier in the thread worker really well for me after the formula my vet gave me ran out. I also found that she tolerated slightly more volume of food (around 40 ml per feeding) than I had given her at forst. I figured a few extra calories wouldn't hurt her.

 

[cowcreekgeek]

Good to hear ... sure happy it worked out well for you both ~'-)

 

[bookbookbook]

HI, I realy thing my chooks needs this, but i am so scared to do either. I have only gone on a one day course for this and used an orange. She laid an egg after a very long time of being very unwell, and the effort made her insides come out. I washed this and the next day she lay another and more came out. Whilst washing her, I noticed she had a full crop, so i read and read. I massaged, gave warm water and olive oil, tipped upside down and nothing came out, and now i fear i may have made it worse. She is completely unable to drink or eat now but doesnt die. I hate to see her suffering.

 

[kuntrygirl]

Thank you for your post! It's one of the best that I have ever seen here... I also tube feed when needed and here is a note that might help some. To make sure that the tube is in the esophagus, not the trachea, I palpate the right hand side of the neck where the tube should be. If I can feel it, I continue. How much I give depends on the size of the bird and how sick it is. Some really sick birds will vomit after just 10cc's, but I have given 120cc's to some of the large ones. My "crop" tubes are those red rubber catheters and I stock all the different sizes so I can tube a chick or a goose when/if I have to. When I am going to give less than 60cc's, I use a 35cc catheter tip syringe like this one.

What do you feed? Is it "liquidy"? Where do you get the catheters from?

 

[DenverGarden]

Would a human dobhoff feeding tube work? OR what size red rubber catheter would you recommend for a bantam rooster? Thanks!

 

[darncat]

Thanks for posting!!

 

[Brookliner]

Would a human dobhoff feeding tube work? OR what size red rubber catheter would you recommend for a bantam rooster?  Thanks!

.
I just finished tube feeding my bantam Cochin hen. I used a #8 French Cather and a 20 cc syringe. I used the baby bird formula and lubed it with olive oil so it would go down easily. You can feel the tube on their right side of the neck where it meets the shoulder. You could probably use a #10 on a roo.

I will give her another feeding tonight. Also some water with electrolytes in it.

In answer to kuntry girl
I got the syringe and catheter from my vet. She is a cat vet but when I explained what I wanted she understood .

I have a very cooperative hen with a rooster I would definitely want it to be a 2 person job one to hold the towel wrapped roo and the other to insert the tube. Watch as they try to gag the tube back up. Just make sure you hold it securely in place.

 

[casportpony]

Sorry for the delayed reply...

For most birds I use a size 18, the chicks an 8 and when "power feeding" larger birds, a 30, lol, but those are birds that aren't likely to vomit. Large, sick bird still gets the 18 and baby food, the 30 works great with crumbles.

French
Gauge Diameter
(mm) Diameter
(inches)
3 1 0.039
4 1.33 0.053
5 1.67 0.066
6 2 0.079
7 2.3 0.092
8 2.7 0.105
9 3 0.118
10 3.3 0.131
11 3.7 0.144
12 4 0.158
13 4.3 0.170
14 4.7 0.184
15 5 0.197
16 5.3 0.210
17 5.7 0.223
18 6 0.236
19 6.3 0.249
20 6.7 0.263
22 7.3 0.288
24 8 0.315
26 8.7 0.341
28 9.3 0.367
30 10 0.393
32 10.7 0.419
34 11.3 0.445​

-Kathy

 

[kuntrygirl]

Would a human dobhoff feeding tube work? OR what size red rubber catheter would you recommend for a bantam rooster?  Thanks!

.
I just finished tube feeding my bantam Cochin hen. I used a #8 French Cather and a 20 cc syringe. I used the baby bird formula and lubed it with olive oil so it would go down easily. You can feel the tube on their right side of the neck where it meets the shoulder. You could probably use a #10 on a roo.

I will give her another feeding tonight. Also some water with electrolytes in it.

In answer to kuntry girl
I got the syringe and catheter from my vet. She is a cat vet but when I explained what I wanted she understood .

I have a very cooperative hen with a rooster I would definitely want it to be a 2 person job one to hold the towel wrapped roo and the other to insert the tube. Watch as they try to gag the tube back up. Just make sure you hold it securely in place.

Thank you.

 

[kuntrygirl]

Sorry for the delayed reply... For most birds I use a size 18, the chicks an 8 and when "power feeding" larger birds, a 30, lol, but those are birds that aren't likely to vomit. Large, sick bird still gets the 18 and baby food, the 30 works great with crumbles.

French Gauge	Diameter (mm)	Diameter (inches)
3	1	0.039
4	1.33	0.053
5	1.67	0.066
6	2	0.079
7	2.3	0.092
8	2.7	0.105
9	3	0.118
10	3.3	0.131
11	3.7	0.144
12	4	0.158
13	4.3	0.170
14	4.7	0.184
15	5	0.197
16	5.3	0.210
17	5.7	0.223
18	6	0.236
19	6.3	0.249
20	6.7	0.263
22	7.3	0.288
24	8	0.315
26	8.7	0.341
28	9.3	0.367
30	10	0.393
32	10.7	0.419
34	11.3	0.445

-Kathy

Kathy, so for the peas, what sizes do you recommend 18 and 30? And how much baby food would you recommend giving an adult pea if I ever need to do that?