Need to Tube Severely Molting Hen

[micstrachan]

Greetings. My young barred rock hen is molting very severely. I’ve brought her in the last few nights and kept her out during the day. However, yesterday she started stumbling so I brought her in. I think she’s very dehydrated, and I want to tube her fluids. This would be my very first tubing. I have everything I need, but I’m afraid to handle her because she is my least handled bird and is basically a porcupine. Advice? This is becoming urgent.

@casportpony @azygous @Eggcessive @Wyorp Rock

 

[casportpony]

Have you seen my thread on tubing ducks?
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/tube-feeding-ducks-updated-5-7-2020.1211994/#post-19299322

 

[casportpony]

Step 1:
Bring duck inside and place in a warm room, 80-85 degrees is ideal (watch for signs of over-heating).

Step 2:
Weigh the duck

Step 3:
Once warmed, correct hydration and this should not be done until the duck is warmed up. Tube warmed (102 degrees) Pedialyte or Gatorade at 14 ml per pound of body weight, wait 60-90 minutes and repeat. If no poop is produced by 3 hours after first tubing, repeat once more.

Step 4:
Once the duck is pooping you can start tubing warmed Kaytee Exact baby bird food or a non-lay crumble (lay crumble has too much calcium). Start by tubing 14 ml per pound of body weight and increase a little at each feeding. Do not exceed 23 ml per pound of body weight. Sick birds are tube fed 2-4 times a day.


"Tube feeding, also known as gavage feeding, is an essential part of avian supportive care. Sick birds are often presented with a history of anorexia, and glycogen stores may be depleted within hours in the granivore (including psitacine, passerine and galliform species) secondary to a relatively high metabolic rate. Another important indication for gavage feeding is a documented drop in body weight of 5% to 10%."
Source: https://lafeber.com/vet/tube-feeding-birds/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/tube-feeding-ducks-updated-5-7-2020.1211994/#post-19299322

 

[micstrachan]

Have you seen my thread on tubing ducks?

I’ve seen lots of tubing videos, and have what I need, thanks to you.

My fear is in handling her and stressing her. I don’t want to kill her. Did that once already.

 

[casportpony]

Do you have pedialyte or gatorade?

 

[micstrachan]

Do you have pedialyte or gatorade?

No.

 

[micstrachan]

I have a slightly warmed, slightly sugared water with a dash of salt. I have potassium citrate and dextrose on hand, as well.

 

[micstrachan]

Kathy, I’m mostly worried about handling her. She was raised by a broody and is very nervous. I’ve gotten a tiny bit into her by dropping it on to her beak.

 

[casportpony]

What's her weight?

 

[micstrachan]

She’s standing on her hocks.