Need to Tube Severely Molting Hen

[micstrachan]

Sweet Ester did not fight me for her first evening meal. Also, I think I’ve been dropping the temp too fast, so I’ll calm down on that. We’ll have to go at her pace, as I want her to have a full recovery. I might have been trying to rush her, thinking being back with her friends would be best, but clearly I need her healthy first.

I have these large , old beach towels I use with the chickens outside for lap time. I could not coax Ester onto my lap, but she seems pretty content with the towel folded in quarters on the floor. I’ll try sitting with her more for company and not only feeding. She has the sweetest little voice and talks to me when I come near or if I’m even in her line of sight.

 

[LateBirdFarms]

I'm cheering you and Ester on from the sidelines!

I started reading this thread in a panic, one of my red girls, Red(don't hate me!), is going through a full body hard molt, but other than her ready for the table look and grumpy gus behaviour, she never stopped thriving like I was sure she would. I was in a complete tizzy, even though I had everything ready for just such an occasion, even picked up the formula... The Last Can in Town... I found out why it was the last can and had a real row with The Only Pet Store in Town's owner over having such an extremely expired item on the shelf for purchase, and then thanked the powers that Be for keeping Red her usual plump self. But by then I was hooked on every post, every little bit of weight Ester gained and lost, bit my nails like I was the one doing my first tube feeding and celebrated your successes! This. This right here is why I love chickens and real chicken people. It's not always easy to earn a chicken's respect, but it looks like you're there! My hats off to you for sticking in there even though Ester isn't the puppy of the chicken world! She's feathering in like a real beauty queen, by the way, awesome work and I hope she keeps on the upswing!

 

[micstrachan]

Aww... thank you so much! Ester fought me hard for her second evening feeding, so I tried again in a bit and the plunger stuck. I still got around 35-40mL into her.

She ate some canned corn, wheat berries and sunflower seeds, too. Her poop is green, but that could be from blue berries. She just settled on the beach towel on the floor and I saw her attempt to fluff her stubby feathers. So cute!

It seems the stars have aligned, as I have a long day with another board meeting Thursday and the power will be off at my office. Unless something changes, I should get to work from home, which means I might be able to get Ester a little time with the flock. I won’t really be able to supervise, but I can check on her and bring her back in when needed. ❤

I am so glad your Red has done so well with the hard molt. Where is she in the pecking order? Ester is one of the lower ranked birds and has always been thin.

 

[micstrachan]

Hopefully this helps.

My arms are too long and my chickens are too small to restrain the way Kathy explained. That may work better with Ester though.

Oh my gosh!!! Somehow I did not see this post until now. I love it! Thank you so much! Rona is pretty darn cute, too!

I think I need to feel the tube in Ester’s crop. I have not been feeling for that and wonder if I’m not going deep enough with the tube.

 

[Painted Calls]

Have you been using the same syringe all this time? If so, it may be time for a new one. That may be why it's sticking. Some syringes last longer than others, but after a few dozen washes they start sticking. Next the plunger will come off. So irritating when that happens.

 

[micstrachan]

Have you been using the same syringe all this time? If so, it may be time for a new one. That may be why it's sticking. Some syringes last longer than others, but after a few dozen washes they start sticking. Next the plunger will come off. So irritating when that happens.

No... I’m finding I only get ~5 feedings from a syringe before it starts sticking, so I need to stick to one per day. Ester got fluid followed by feed an hour later before work.

 

[Painted Calls]

No... I’m finding I only get ~5 feedings from a syringe before it starts sticking, so I need to stick to one per day. Ester got fluid followed by feed an hour later before work.

I use them til the plunger falls apart.

Good! I figured you'd figure that out soon if you hadn't already.

 

[micstrachan]

 

[Painted Calls]

She is looking so much better! I bet a little outside time with her sisters would do her good.

 

[micstrachan]

Thanks. I tried having Ester out, but Buttercup and Ruby were picking on her pretty badly. So I put her in the grow-out pen/coop (little prefab setup within the run) with an oscillating heater pointing in while I'm in this meeting. She seemed pretty content when I left her, scratching in the litter and preening. It's in the 60's and she has a heater, so I think she's fine.

I just learned that PG&E will NOT turn the power off at my office after all, so I will need to go in. Right after this meeting, I'll bring her in, feed her, feed me, and head down. I'm so sad. I REALLY wanted her to have a chance to feel sunshine today, and it's not going to happen. I have a board meeting that will go late, so if she doesn't feed herself, it will be MANY hours between filling up her crop.