Tube feeding and hydration help

[mseely]

Hi! I've read a lot about tube feeding chickens and I decided that it was best for my hen to start tube feeding her. I've read through the tube feeding journey thread and many others but I still have a couple of questions.


-My hen is a buff orpington, she weighed over 8 lbs and now since she's been sick she's lost some weight. (Not sure the exact amount but her keel is poking out more than it was)
-I've been trying to get close to 240 mL of h2o a day
-I'm currently using kaytee exact to tube feed her. The forum I read recommended giving 4 oz twice a day to start and then 6 oz a day after a couple of days.

My main question is should I be giving her 240 mL of water still with the Kaytee exact? Or should I be using less water? Right now I've been just substituting some of the water, I haven't given her over 2 oz of food yet (I just started tube feeding her last night) Her poop has been more put together and close to normal looking (first time in over a week!) so I think it's helping. Any info on mixing too would be helpful as well, I've just been following the package directions. Thanks in advance!

 

[Fields Mountain Farm]

I'm not sure what to tell you but hopefully @WVduckchick or @casportpony or @Pyxis are around and can answer your questions and help you get her over this!
Best wishes to you!

 

[ChickNanny13]

 

[Fields Mountain Farm]

So sorry no one has come along to answer your questions yet. Many peeps are absent on Sunday, I'd say that's likely why. I have shared your thread on another thread so hopefully we'll get you some help soon.

 

[Fields Mountain Farm]

In the meantime... Here is a link to a thread by casportpony about tube feeding. Hope is helps some...
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/updated-go-team-tube-feeding.805728/

 

[WVduckchick]

Sorry. I've only tube fed a few times, and don't know the process as well as @casportpony but I can say it is much easier than it seems, and once you do it, it's not nearly as scary. The link @Fields Mountain Farm just posted is a good one.
Good luck!

 

[casportpony]

Total water per day should be no less than 5% or her body weight (180 ml).

If she were mine I would try to tube 120 ml of Kaytee/water twice a day, and I might also give 200 ml of fluids subcutaneously every 1-2 days.

What does her poop look like?

 

[mseely]

It won't let me upload them in order but the pink towel is last night after giving her ~50 ml of kaytee exact and antibiotics. The red flannel is from Friday, before she started antibiotics and the green is from the day before that. She did have one good poop that was normal looking yesterday (after giving her 50 ml kaytee exact in the am) but I forgot to take a picture of it.

 

[casportpony]

Wha antibiotic are you giving her?

 

[mseely]

Wha antibiotic are you giving her?

Cipro