Sick hen maybe coccidosis? Impacted crop??

[casportpony]

Are you thinking the mineral oil may unblock a possible obstruction in her intestines?

Yes, exactly what I was thinking, but without a tube, it's too dangerous. You could maybe try some DSS (Docusate sodium), but I haven't tried that, so don't know how effective it would be.

 

[Eggcessive]

Have you tried mixing a small amount of feed with a lot of water to a mushy consistency and holding some up to her beak? Have you offered any cooked chopped egg or canned tuna? Watermelon or tomatoes can get some water into them. I hope that you can get her to eat.

 

[Carolrich]

Have you tried mixing a small amount of feed with a lot of water to a mushy consistency and holding some up to her beak? Have you offered any cooked chopped egg or canned tuna? Watermelon or tomatoes can get some water into them. I hope that you can get her to eat.

I sent a private note to you just now.

Yes to trying to feed her mushy crumbles and soft egg and mushed up tuna. She simply won't eat it. I CAN put in in her mouth and she will swallow. I was thinking that 24 to 48 hours of just the clear pedialyte and the dewormer and the corid was all I should do before starting her on food. Should I go ahead and try this now or wait until after the mineral oil?

 

[Eggcessive]

Did you mean a PM to me or to Kathy? I haven’t got one yet. I would do what casportpony says to do. It can be confusing with too many people giving advice on feeding. Colace or doccusate sodium is an ingredient of crop bound capsules, and I think many use those. If I couldn’t get feeding tube supplies for awhile, I would just make one out of the aquarium air tubing that you can find at Walmart, and connect a 35 ml syringe. But don’t forget to melt one end to soften it, so that it doesn’t cut the throat. I have used those for water or giving raw egg mixed with yogurt or vitamins. The chicken feed may clog unless it is ground and lots of water added.

Do you have any way to get an adult NG tube where you have worked? That plus a 60ml catheter tipped syringe would be perfect. I think Kathy uses 16 or 18 French for adult chickens, but that may be listed in some of the tube feeding threads.

 

[casportpony]

I really need to consolidate all of the tube feeding stuff in one thread or an article.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/tube-feeding-q-and-a.1215032/

 

[Carolrich]

I PM'ed to Kathy. I melted an end of respiratory tubing but was not comfortable with the result. Still rough. Tomorrow I will try the med supply store for a catheter/ng tube. Then I will give mineral oil via the tube.
Tonight she had about 1/3 of a scrambled egg. She took it readily when I put it inside her mouth.
I think that if she has a blockage that can't be dislodged, we will lose her.
I remain hopefull. I am grateful to you all.

 

[casportpony]

18 french is what I use on almost all of my chickens. If they have a few sizes, get 1 of each if you can. Anything smaller than 14 is really too small for birds over 2 pounds.

 

[Carolrich]

No joy on the catheter. I had to have an MD prescription. I called 3 places. I retired from Nursing in 2000 so haven't any old friends to ask for catheters. I have continued with a stool softener, Pedialyte, Corid, dewormer. She is producing clear whitish liquid stools with skinny greenish bits. Today, however, for the first time, she voluntarily ate soft boiled egg from my hand. She continues to move around very little but is standing and strongly resists my feedings etc. She sits hunched. Crop ok and no egg bound, abdomen soft. My daughter is bringing mineral oil tonight. When I get this, how much and how often?
Btw, I am prepare to take her to our vet after no improvement in a few days. She may have a tumor or something in her intestines.

 

[casportpony]

Warning, do not give mineral oil with DSS.

 

[Eggcessive]

At least if you see a vet, they may be able to do an xray to see if she has anything that might show up there. It is frustrating that she is not improving, but good that she ate some today. Kathy may have better advice, but 5 ml of mineral oil is probably a good dose for a chicken. I would only give it once. Here is a good link with pictures on giving medicines to peafowl, which is the same with a chicken:
https://unitedpeafowlassociation.org/articles/oral-medication-dosing-of-peafowl/

Edited to say that I agree with not giving mineral oil with Colase or doccusate sodium. But the Colase would be easier to give, and I think you can give 2 of those orally.