Silkies - They’re simply SPECTACULAR!

[Fluffy Lambs]

What is the soonest day you can see something in an egg?

Day 2 or 3 you can see the heart beating sometimes.

 

[AngBantamLuv]

What is the soonest day you can see something in an egg?

I don't want to know......

 

[PippinTheChicken]

Day 2 or 3 you can see the heart beating sometimes.

Okay... I can wait 2 more days... It's easy... Right?

 

[PippinTheChicken]

I might do a candle peek on day 3 just to see.
I probably won't see anything, probably nothing's gonna happen but I'll see

 

[LadiesAndJane]

Any of you fellow silkie folks have experience with tube feeding? I have also posted on the emergencies thread, but not getting much traffic.
From that posting:
So now we are tube feeding this little one.
I am having no issues with placement of the tube and I ended up making one from some plastic tubing I bought at the hardware store, as the vets was too narrow (12 Fr) for anything other than water.
I gave her 10 mL of her feed (flock raiser) ground fine in the blender and added warm water and some plain greek yogurt. I do not have quick access to any premade formulas.
I also gave her about 10 mL of plain pedialyte and a little nutradrench.
This little bird weighs 2 lbs, if I understand correctly, she should then be getting 28 mL (14 per pound) of fluids and another 28 mL of food PER feeding? Just seems like a lot. I do not want to overfill her either with risk of aspiration.
Another source says for silkies, max 10 mL, 4 x a day of feed, but does not mention water.
Also how often should be fed, 2 x a day? 4 x a day? Is there a total amount of food and water that she should be getting per day, that I then can divide into the number of feedings? I am doing everything I can for this little one.
Thanks for any advice.

 

[Fluffy Lambs]

Any of you fellow silkie folks have experience with tube feeding? I have also posted on the emergencies thread, but not getting much traffic.
From that posting:
So now we are tube feeding this little one.
I am having no issues with placement of the tube and I ended up making one from some plastic tubing I bought at the hardware store, as the vets was too narrow (12 Fr) for anything other than water.
I gave her 10 mL of her feed (flock raiser) ground fine in the blender and added warm water and some plain greek yogurt. I do not have quick access to any premade formulas.
I also gave her about 10 mL of plain pedialyte and a little nutradrench.
This little bird weighs 2 lbs, if I understand correctly, she should then be getting 28 mL (14 per pound) of fluids and another 28 mL of food PER feeding? Just seems like a lot. I do not want to overfill her either with risk of aspiration.
Another source says for silkies, max 10 mL, 4 x a day of feed, but does not mention water.
Also how often should be fed, 2 x a day? 4 x a day? Is there a total amount of food and water that she should be getting per day, that I then can divide into the number of feedings? I am doing everything I can for this little one.
Thanks for any advice.

This is just with regular feeding, but I feed 2x a day.

 

[LadiesAndJane]

This is just with regular feeding, but I feed 2x a day.

How many mLs at a time? How much water based on her weight 2 lbs (936 grams)?

 

[Fluffy Lambs]

How many mLs at a time? How much water based on her weight 2 lbs (936 grams)?

I have no idea. They eat and drink what they want.

Any of you fellow silkie folks have experience with tube feeding? I have also posted on the emergencies thread, but not getting much traffic.
From that posting:
So now we are tube feeding this little one.
I am having no issues with placement of the tube and I ended up making one from some plastic tubing I bought at the hardware store, as the vets was too narrow (12 Fr) for anything other than water.
I gave her 10 mL of her feed (flock raiser) ground fine in the blender and added warm water and some plain greek yogurt. I do not have quick access to any premade formulas.
I also gave her about 10 mL of plain pedialyte and a little nutradrench.
This little bird weighs 2 lbs, if I understand correctly, she should then be getting 28 mL (14 per pound) of fluids and another 28 mL of food PER feeding? Just seems like a lot. I do not want to overfill her either with risk of aspiration.
Another source says for silkies, max 10 mL, 4 x a day of feed, but does not mention water.
Also how often should be fed, 2 x a day? 4 x a day? Is there a total amount of food and water that she should be getting per day, that I then can divide into the number of feedings? I am doing everything I can for this little one.
Thanks for any advice.

@casportpony

 

[LynnaePB]

Any of you fellow silkie folks have experience with tube feeding? I have also posted on the emergencies thread, but not getting much traffic.
From that posting:
So now we are tube feeding this little one.
I am having no issues with placement of the tube and I ended up making one from some plastic tubing I bought at the hardware store, as the vets was too narrow (12 Fr) for anything other than water.
I gave her 10 mL of her feed (flock raiser) ground fine in the blender and added warm water and some plain greek yogurt. I do not have quick access to any premade formulas.
I also gave her about 10 mL of plain pedialyte and a little nutradrench.
This little bird weighs 2 lbs, if I understand correctly, she should then be getting 28 mL (14 per pound) of fluids and another 28 mL of food PER feeding? Just seems like a lot. I do not want to overfill her either with risk of aspiration.
Another source says for silkies, max 10 mL, 4 x a day of feed, but does not mention water.
Also how often should be fed, 2 x a day? 4 x a day? Is there a total amount of food and water that she should be getting per day, that I then can divide into the number of feedings? I am doing everything I can for this little one.
Thanks for any advice.

I tube feed with bad cases of wry neck and with some chickens that weren't feeling well enough to eat for a bit. That being said I don't have any specific numbers on how much is best or water to food ratio etc. I also don't know that my method is the best so take what I say with a grain of salt!

I usually do 2 feedings per day. The syringe I have holds 20 ccs and I'm usually able to get most of that into the crop of an adult silkie without it feeling too full/distended. I'd do 10 ccs and then feel how full her crop is. If it feels like it isn't too taught you could give her another 5-10 ccs. Just go slow and if any starts coming up stop that feeding session and wipe it up as best you can.

Without a baby bird feeding formula what you are doing already sounds good. Adding enough water to make it into a sort of sloppy gruel should keep her hydrated. I don't have much experience mixing up my own formula as I've always used kaytee hand feeding formula since it seems to be in stock at most pet stores around here and is easy to work with (it works very well with my 14 french feeding tube).

Good luck, it sounds like she is in good hands! I hope she feels up to eating on her own again soon as well!

 

[LadiesAndJane]

I have no idea. They eat and drink what they want.

@casportpony

Thanks, my birds have free access to feed and water 24/7 when they are healthy and eating on their own. I appreciate your help though.
I read @casportpony excellent threads on tube feeding already.