Is it too late for tube feeding?

[Jaebird]

Middy, my 18 month old Golden Comet, started limping two weeks ago. I originally posted on BYC asking about bumblefoot, which I thought was the reason for the limping, but then it seemed like she was limping too much for the tiny sore she had, so I took her to the vet. Bloodwork was normal and xrays of abdomen showed nothing abnormal. Vet said I was right, bumblefoot was barely there and not the cause of the limping, which was a sciatic nerve issue. I opted not to do any further testing for financial reasons. Vet thought Marek's was a definite possibility.

Meanwhile Middy was weak and dehydrated, and also had started molting for the first time. It got cooler here and the other chickens had started making it harder for her to eat and drink (already difficult because she couldn't get around very well) so I brought her inside.

For a week or so I couldn't get her to eat much more than a few bites of cucumber sprinkled with hemp seeds and black soldier fly larvae. I've been hydrating her by using a syringe to drip water with Hen Boost on the side of her beak, which she'll usually swallow. It takes ages, though, and is making my work life (a major source of stress and urgency right now) much more difficult.

For the last couple of days she hasn't eaten anything, other than the tiny bit of egg yolk/honey/electrolytes/nettle tea slurry I've been able to get her to drink. She really doesn't want it, though, and I don't get much into her with the syringe.

But after two weeks of this, she's still alive. She stands up when I come into the room, listens to my voice and responds, and just doesn't seem to want to die. I suspect if she got enough hydration and nutrition she'd be pretty normal other than the limp and the molting, but I just can't get her to eat, and she doesn't drink on her own or really open her eyes much. She does still poop, though since she has eaten so little and drinks only the bright yellow Hen Boost, what she produces is very liquid and kind of yellow/green with little plops of black solids in the middle.

I was looking at the tube feeding instructions here last night, but they say a chicken has to be able to stand and hold its wings up and be hydrated before tube feeding, and her wings have started drooping. She does stand, but not for very long.

Is it too late for tube feeding? And are there any other suggestions?

 

[Chicksgowild]

Is it too late for tube feeding? And are there any other suggestions?

I am going through a similar process with one of my hens and I know exactly what you mean, it really does get stressful but my hen isn't dying either nor do I want to end her. She also doesn't want to eat or drink on her own so I have to feed her. Anyway, I would say it isn't too late for tube feeding especially if she doesn't seem to want to die. If she has the will, the spirit to live, you should give her a chance. I believe tube feeding is much quicker than using the torpedo method(the one I do). I never tried tube feeding before but for the sake of getting the poor bird some food, I would say it is worth the try. For water, you will have to give her some water with a needless syringe. Wish you and you hen the best of luck.