Tube feeding mishap

[K R 2709]

Awesome! Thank you

 

[Ciqala]

Maybe these pictures will help someone:

From:http://www.hopkinslivestock.com/oral_dosing_article.htm
The hole at the back of the tongue is the entrance to the trachea - Nothing should ever go in there!


The tube being used here is a size 18 french







How To Crop Feed Your Bird Diagram


From:http://www.hopkinslivestock.com/oral_dosing_article.htm
This is how one could syringe medication to a bird

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

​

This is an incredibly helpful post, thank you so much for sharing it. The pics of the actual hen are especially helpful to me.

 

[Henapause]

@Mightymax-you mentioned not going down too far because you can rupture the crop. How can you tell if that has happened? I just tube fed one of my hens and gave her 35 cc's of food. It was kinda liquidy but when I was done, her crop didn't feel full. Its squishy but I would have expected it to feel much fuller. Can the crop be ruptured internally? She doesn't seem to have any bloating underneath it but I'm just really scared now that I may have did more damage than good. It's her 3rd tube feeding (as well as mine) and she is feeling much better but she struggled a little more than usual so I am afraid I may have done something wrong. I'm using a 1/4 inch diameter tube that is 6 inches long and inserted it with about 1 1/2 inches excess from the mouth to syringe. Her crop was empty when I started. Yesterday I gave her 50 cc's and her crop was clearly full. Today, its just squishy but with no bulge to it at all and I gave her only 35cc's because it looked like she had nibbled a little of her crumble earlier today. She is a 6 month old barred rock hen. . Can you or anyone tell me how to tell if a hen has a ruptured crop internally? UGHHH. There goes my good nights sleep. Thanks in advance to all who may be able to help with this and respond.

 

[casportpony]

@Mightymax-you mentioned not going down too far because you can rupture the crop. How can you tell if that has happened? I just tube fed one of my hens and gave her 35 cc's of food. It was kinda liquidy but when I was done, her crop didn't feel full. Its squishy but I would have expected it to feel much fuller. Can the crop be ruptured internally? She doesn't seem to have any bloating underneath it but I'm just really scared now that I may have did more damage than good. It's her 3rd tube feeding (as well as mine) and she is feeling much better but she struggled a little more than usual so I am afraid I may have done something wrong. I'm using a 1/4 inch diameter tube that is 6 inches long and inserted it with about 1 1/2 inches excess from the mouth to syringe. Her crop was empty when I started. Yesterday I gave her 50 cc's and her crop was clearly full. Today, its just squishy but with no bulge to it at all and I gave her only 35cc's because it looked like she had nibbled a little of her crumble earlier today. She is a 6 month old barred rock hen. . Can you or anyone tell me how to tell if a hen has a ruptured crop internally? UGHHH. There goes my good nights sleep. Thanks in advance to all who may be able to help with this and respond.

Rupturing the crop with a proper tube is unlikely. Tubes should be smooth enough for you to rub on your mucus membranes. If using aquarium air line, melt the end with a lighter to round off the edge.

-Kathy

 

[zeppley]

Kathy - yikes!

Perhaps a straight-jacket, neck brace, and speculum might help. I've been thinking about those during my struggles with a 4 lb chicken...

 

[BlueEarChicken]

If tube feeding is done wrong and food is put down the wrong hole then will the chicken choke? Everyone says they will likely die but how do they die? How soon?

Concerned we’ve done it wrong.

 

[casportpony]

If you stuck the tube down the wrong hole and gave a substantial amount, death will probably occur in less than an hour. What happened?

 

[Yellow321]

If tube feeding is done wrong and food is put down the wrong hole then will the chicken choke? Everyone says they will likely die but how do they die? How soon?

Concerned we’ve done it wrong.

@BlueEarChicken @casportpony
I realize this is an old comment, but did your chicken survive the feeding?! I just tube feed one of mine and I'm concerned I may not have been in the crop but in the lungs because she didn't have a bulge in her crop when I was done! She hasn't aspirated or acted any different though so maybe not? Did yours aspirate? We're there any signs that you may have gone into the lungs?