sick hen - won't eat

[casportpony]

Doris,

I haven't had luck force feeding. Is there a method to it? I started out offering her some of her favorite treats. She would gently take them from my hand and fling them. She seemed to enjoy the game. Then I moved on to trying to force her to take a loose mixture of scrambled eggs and rice. I did all this in the bathroom, and cleaning all the food off the walls of the shower stall took longer than expected.

IMNSHO, tube feeding is the way to do it and with the right stuff and a little practice, it will take you less than three minutes from start to finish. Items I use:

• Digital kitchen scale
• Size 18 french catheter tube.
• 35ml or 60ml catheter tip syringe.
• Pedialyte for dehydrated birds
• Kaytee Exact Baby Bird Food

People are usually worried about putting the tube in the "wrong" hole, but I promise you that with a big enough tube this is almost impossible. However, it is possible to overfill the crop, so start by giving a small amount, remove tube, check crop, then add more if it feels like you can. Wait for crop to almost clear, repeat.

If your bird has not been drinking, you must hydrate first, never force feed a dehydrated bird!

A general rule of 30ml/kg every 6-8 hours is usually what I start with, so that's what I use the scale for. Once the bird has been fed a couple of times and is not vomiting I usually increase to 60ml/kg.

Tube very cautiously if your bird's crop already has liquid or food in it.

Readd these:

• https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...-for-visuals-very-detailed-post#post_11652991
• https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...cken-and-give-subcutaneous-fluid#post_9910754

Here are some pictures and videos:

When I am going to give less than 60cc's, I use a 35cc catheter tip syringe like this one.










How To Crop Feed Your Bird Diagram


​

Crop feeding videos

These are using a crop needle, not a plastic tube.




This one uses a tube like I use​

French
Gauge Diameter
(mm) Diameter
(inches)
3 1 0.039
4 1.33 0.053
5 1.67 0.066
6 2 0.079
7 2.3 0.092
8 2.7 0.105
9 3 0.118
10 3.3 0.131
11 3.7 0.144
12 4 0.158
13 4.3 0.170
14 4.7 0.184
15 5 0.197
16 5.3 0.210
17 5.7 0.223
18 6 0.236
19 6.3 0.249
20 6.7 0.263
22 7.3 0.288
24 8 0.315
26 8.7 0.341
28 9.3 0.367
30 10 0.393
32 10.7 0.419
34 11.3 0.445​

-Kathy

 

[ten chicks]

A big X2 Kathy,i agree the only safe and effective way to feed/hydrate an ill bird!

 

[wwhhat]

I had to force feed my Silkie... The vet showed me how...my vet usually doesn't charge much, if at all, for chickens. Maybe you have one that can help.
Also, I have you tried the d-earth? I've never had to worm a chicken