Need to Tube Severely Molting Hen

[micstrachan]

I just read through most of this thread.

Girl, you have had a go of it with your flock this past year. I'm glad Ester is improving. I hope she gets to eating and drinking on her own so she can rejoin the flock.

And I FEEL your pain about MEETINGS. Good gravy....

Thank you!

 

[micstrachan]

Hi, friends. Ester is doing amazingly well. She’s starting to get too warm inside the house, so I think what I’m gonna do the next two nights is leave the window wide open and let the kitchen cool down. Then I’m hoping to have her completely back outside after that. We’re having unseasonably warm days, and the nights are still pretty decent. It’s so warm outside right now, I’m in capris and a T-shirt and I’m very comfortable.

Ester was feisty this morning and was difficult to weigh since I didn’t feel like swaddling her, but she was roughly the same as last time. It was harder to get anything into her this morning, but I did get some water and some liquid feed in her crop at separate times.

She has been outside with the flock most of the day free ranging, and I have seen her have a really nice dust bath, eat sprouts, eat whatever she’s pulling out of the dirt and leaves, plus some soaked wheat berries and sunflower seeds from me and… Damp feed! What a good girl! The only thing I have not seen her do is drink.

I’m not loving her floppy comb, but this is her first molt and first time going off lay, so I don’t know if it’s from lack of hormones, dehydration, a combination or something else. I just went to give her some fluid and she fought me. Her crop definitely had something in it, so I’m gonna let her be for now. Since I plan to have her inside for at least a couple more nights, I can get her fluid in the evening and first thing each morning.

Other than that, I think she’s on her way! This morning inside the run was a little rough, but during free range time, she’s completely accepted back in the flock… bossing around the babies, dust bathing with the older girls, and even eating right alongside everyone except for the jerks. My heart is warm, and I will carefully monitor her to make sure she doesn’t regress.

Here she is enjoying the neighbor’s tree. I will try to get more images of her doing chicken things!

 

[micstrachan]

Well, that was timely. Right after that post, I went to check on her and found her here…

 

[micstrachan]

I forgot to mention that last night I offered eggshell and she ate some.

 

[RoyalChick]

You have done an amazing job with her - she looks like she is back to normal. I am so happy for her and for you!

 

[micstrachan]

You have done an amazing job with her - she looks like she is back to normal. I am so happy for her and for you!

Thanks, RC. I’d like to give her some fluid, but now that she’s back in her element, I can’t really catch her. LOL. In a bit, I have to call them back in so I can run to the feed store. I might give her a little fluid then. Otherwise, I’ll wait until tonight.

 

[RoyalChick]

Thanks, RC. I’d like to give her some fluid, but now that she’s back in her element, I can’t really catch her. LOL. In a bit, I have to call them back in so I can run to the feed store. I might give her a little fluid then. Otherwise, I’ll wait until tonight.

Honestly I can’t believe she isn’t drinking on her own at this point. Can you be 100% sure in fluid intake?

 

[PDXJULES]

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.

o if she seems happy again outside all may be fine. If concern returns during molt, a soft towel around her may help. is she pooping? i got an ailing Pullet to eat again by mixing yogurt into her crumbles. I refreshed her water dish often and tapped it to invite her to drink, often. Maybe just try to dropper fluid into her lower beak before tubing? Breathing and food pipes are so close and a mistake can happen. Good luck!

 

[micstrachan]

Honestly I can’t believe she isn’t drinking on her own at this point. Can you be 100% sure in fluid intake?

Nope. She might be and I just can’t catch her in the act. LOL. I see no harm in tubing except the possibility of aspiration, but I am being pretty careful with the process. I definitely don’t want to stress her out. It looks like we’re on a solid path to transitioning her completely back outside, but I wanted to make sure she has her best chance to be a normal healthy chicken.

Honestly, I don’t think she has any health problems. I think she said just had a poorly timed, brutal molt which she took hard because she’s a small, thin hen to begin with.

 

[micstrachan]

o if she seems happy again outside all may be fine. If concern returns during molt, a soft towel around her may help. is she pooping? i got an ailing Pullet to eat again by mixing yogurt into her crumbles. I refreshed her water dish often and tapped it to invite her to drink, often. Maybe just try to dropper fluid into her lower beak before tubing? Breathing and food pipes are so close and a mistake can happen. Good luck!

Hi, there. Yes. If you continue through this thread, you will see I always wrap her in a soft towel. This little sweetie has become a great little tubing patient and is ready to transition back outside. We started the process today.