Injured Chicken--how to hydrate/feed

[hey102974]

I had a mink attack this week. How the little bugger got in I am at a loss to explain as I moved the chickens into a makeshift coop IN the garage last fall because of a mink attack in the outside coop, with the plan to build a much more predator proof coop and run this spring when the snow melts, if it ever melts---this crazy long winter. So they have been in a solid garage (semi-heated) inside a coop that has no gaps (Built with 3 pieces 4X8 1/2" OSB and an old screen door complete with frame that I had stored int eh grage, and I put wood panels on the lower half of the door, so it is solid to 48" and then intact metal screen above that), and I have inspected it four times to make sure not even a mouse could sneak into the area where the chickens are, so I don't know how it got in twice in the past week. I lost a couple of hens, and my rooster was badly injured with neck and head injuries. He is recuperating, but his neck is very sore (not broken luckily, and the bits/cuts are healing slowly. But he can not stretch his neck out or bend down to get food or water yet. I have been giving him water with a medicine dropper, and mixing mash with water or water and yogurt, and giving that to him with a medicine dropper. He eats and drinks readily, I alternate between dropperfuls of water and dropperfuls of liquified food). But starts pulling away way before it seems like he would have had enough. I am concerned about dehydration or malnutrition, and I was wondering if anyone here knows how much water he should be getting each day (especially given that half of what I give him spills over his chest), and if there is some sort of high calorie fortified food I can be giving him so that he gets enough nutrients. Any suggestions would be welcome.

 

[binza1979]

Sounds like you are doing your best. I have no idea how much to give. Just keep trying. Keep a shallow dish of water when he can reach it and he may surprise you and drink. I had a hen scalped and skull cracked by her coop-mates and she made a full recovery. She started out slow, but made improvements amazingly fast.

Keep him as clean, dry, and as calm and comfortable as you can and keep getting fluids in him.

You could try a scrambled egg for extra protein. Or even, get some baby bird food from a pet store and mix that up and give it to him.

Good luck!

 

[casportpony]

Welcome to BYC! He should get 30ml/kg of fluids ever 6-8 hours.

From: http://www.harrisonsbirdfoods.com/avmed/cam/07_emergency_and_critical_care.pdf
Which is part of:​

http://www.harrisonsbirdfoods.com/avmed/cam.html
Download the entire book (two volumes): Clinical Avian Medicine
(Large file - please allow several moments to download

Supportive Care

SICK-BIRD ENCLOSURES
Sick birds are often hypothermic and should be placed
in heated (brooder-type) enclosures


b (Fig 7.7) in a quiet
environment (see Chapter 1, Clinical Practice). A temperature
of 85° F (29° C) with 70% humidity is desirable
for most sick birds. If brooders are not equipped with a
humidity source, placing a small dish of water in the
enclosure will often supply adequate humidity. A moist
towel that is heated and placed on the bottom of a cage
or incubator rapidly humidifies the environment, as indicated​

by the fogging of the acrylic cage front.

FLUID THERAPY
Oral Administration
Oral administration is the ideal method of giving fluids.
This method is more commonly used in mildly dehydrated
birds or in conjunction with subcutaneous (SC)
or intravenous (IV) therapy. Oral rehydration (30 ml/kg
PO q 6-8 h) also may be used in larger birds (eg, waterfowl)
that are difficult to restrain for parenteral fluid​

therapy.

 

[casportpony]

Great info on tube feeding:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...cken-and-give-subcutaneous-fluid#post_9910754

 

[casportpony]

Sounds like you are doing your best. I have no idea how much to give. Just keep trying. Keep a shallow dish of water when he can reach it and he may surprise you and drink. I had a hen scalped and skull cracked by her coop-mates and she made a full recovery. She started out slow, but made improvements amazingly fast.

Keep him as clean, dry, and as calm and comfortable as you can and keep getting fluids in him.

You could try a scrambled egg for extra protein. Or even, get some baby bird food from a pet store and mix that up and give it to him.

Good luck!

X2!

 

[casportpony]

Forgot to mention that you should weigh him daily (see my avatar), any weight loss is a bad sign. Also, he should be warm and properly hydrated before you attempt to force feed him food.

 

[hey102974]

Thank you for all the great info. I put him in a heated enclosure when he first got injured, as I was afraid he was in shock, so i have been making sure he is warm. he is moving around a lot better today, and is more alert as well, he also is staying farther away from the heat, so I think he is not feeling the need for it today. Thank you for the guidelines on how much water he should have, that has been my biggest concern, as I do not want him to get dehydrated. I will try to scrambled eggs tomorrow when I try to feed him. I just checked on him a few minutes ago and he actually was able to scratch at his beak with his foot without falling over, so that is good. He is still wobbly, but balance is returning, slowly. He tired very easily, so that feat of scratching made him sleepy. Hopefully he will keep progressing. I will keep you posted on him.