Nutridrench and a recovering hen

[MandS]

Hello and Happy New Year

I have one of my older hens who is 4 and had just had a huge amount of liquid drained from her abdomen (660ml or 22.3 FL Oz). Initially I thought it was egg binding and did all the usual stuff (Epsom salts bath and digital inspection). She just kept going but not getting better and then started to walk like John Wayne!

After the removal of the fluid, she's on antibiotics. Initially she also was on metacam to reduce inflammation but I thought it was giving her diarrhoea, however, it turns out that even after stopping it she still has diarrhoea which must be down to the antibiotics.

I've just got some nutri drench from Amazon, however unhelpfully they have stuck a label over the dosage instructions. What I'm trying to work out is how many drops I can give her in a cup full of water that will help her get the nutrients she needs without overdoing it.

She has a small cup in the nursing cage which is about the size of a normal teacup and I just need to add some to this water and then change it on a daily basis. She won't drink all of the water, she never does, but having something in there which will help as she is going through another 8 days yet of antibiotics.

Her first 4 days were pretty poor and she was looking miserable and not particularly active, however, she started to perk up and eat heartily. I know you're never out of the woods until you actually get to the edge, but we seem to be moving towards the edge.

So anyone who's comfortable or uses neutral drench regularly. Please could you let me know how many drops or millilitres I need to add to a cup of water. If it's in Imperial that's fine too.

Many thanks!

 

[LaFleche]

You can go to the Tractor supply homepage and look up the dosage there. I just tried to link it here but it did not work for unknown reasons ( I am located in Germany).

 

[MandS]

Thanks. I have had a look. It's helpful, than you because it's the normal dosage info that's covered up on my bottle.

I still would like to know from someone who uses it regularly the dosage for a 3lb 8oz bird who is on antibiotics, has diarrhoea and has a cup of water put out for her per day of which she doesn't drink more than about a third.

 

[MandS]

Just realised that this post has a typo in it which is unhelpful. I said "Thanks. I have had a look. It's helpful, than you because it's the normal dosage info that's covered up on my bottle."

It should say thank you, not than you!

I've tried editing but there's no option to do so.

I'm still stuck on the dosage issue. I'm confused by the mention of a few drops direct to the beak, whereas the bottle mentioned 1ml per 3 pounds. I'm assuming the few drops are for chicks.

I'm tempted to give her 1ml in her water for the day and hope that works. She's off antibiotics. I've used avipro to stabilise her gut so the diarrhoea stops. I certainly wasn't sure whether I could use AV Pro and nutri drench at the same time, so if anybody knows the answers to that please let me know quite urgently.

I need to get her to eat. She is eating, but not enough and her weight is going down and she is thin. I've tried treats such as scrambled egg, tuna, fruits and vegetables, but all she really is eating is pellets and sunflower seeds.

I really need to get her weight up and that's what's now concerning me more than anything.

 

[Eggcessive]

You can give Poultry NutriDrench undiluted into the beak at 1 ml per every 3 pounds of weight. Here is a chart in the manufacturer’s directions for water dosage after 6 weeks of age:
https://jeffers.cvpservice.com/product/basic/view/1581002
1/4 ounce or or just over 7 ml per gallon of water, or 1.7 ml per 8 ounce cup/240 ml. You could just titration the dosage down for her, but beware that some do not like water with a medicinal taste. Having plain water also available is good, or just give the dose orally.

 

[MandS]

Thanks

I gave her the 1ml in some mash, which she ate most of (very little amount to start with though).

Her water just has the ACV added to it. I've not given the avipro today, however her poop has firmed up considerably.

I've given her a bit of pasta. She's eaten some. I'm just not getting much food into her at all and her weight is going down. She's lost about 100g (3.5 Oz) in the last week alone. I need to get her eating and I'm starting to come to the end of my ideas. All I know is that without food, she's not going to improve and most likely will go further downhill.

Nutri drench is meant to help increase appetite. It doesn't seem to have. The avipro is meant to sort out stomach issues - it seems to have done so but I'm still stuck with her not eating.

Any ideas would be gratefully received. Time is not on my side. This is now the third week she's been inside in a nursing cage and I can't see her being able to go back to the flock any time soon at this rate.

Thanks again.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Offer her some yogurt to rebalance her gut flora after the antibiotics. Just like people!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

@Eggcessive can also explain how to tube feed her if it comes to that, it's not difficult. It's good she's eating pellets, that's the best source of balanced nutrition. You might add some tuna, rinsed to remove the salt, or cat food for extra protein.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Oh, and you might also wet some of the pellets to make them into a soft mash, they often take that like it's a treat.

 

[MandS]

Thank you.

I'm giving her mash but she's not keen. It's almost like she's lost interest in eating anything, including treats. She used to go mad for tuna or scrambled egg. Now she just looks at it.

I think I'll look into tube feeding as it's probably going to end up there unless I can get her to eat.

Question: do they lose their appetite if they don't eat, rather than they don't eat because they have no appetite? It looks like a viscous circle if so.