Tube Feeding

[casportpony]

Glad she's getting better and sorry about the others, that sucks!

-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

Since you're tubing more than one adult, tubing something like Kaytee is going to get very expensive. So with that in mind, I'll tell you how I tube my larger ones when I have to do more than one a couple of times a day.

I use my turkey crumbles and soak them in warm water for about 30 minutes, which really softens them up. Sometimes I'll add some ACV, especially if they're on antibiotics (the vet recommended this, so I do it). If the water hasn't softened them up enough I have been known to put it in a blender and puree it. The amount my yearlings and larger ones get is 60ml-120ml twice a day, but it really depends on the bird as it seems the sicker they are, they more likely they are to vomit.

I've also found that keeping the syringe plunger lubed with mineral oil makes it last longer.

-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

Tubing tip.

Since my larger ones usually get more than one 60ml syringe I fill two. I also clean the tube between birds since I'm not always sure they're both sick with the same thing.

-Kathy

 

[KsKingBee]

Lucky Seven is just about gone, very labored breathing, can not stand at all. Tubed fed him 50 ml this morning and he perked up for a while. I am afraid that tubing him at this point will kill him.

He is the one on the left in my avatar.

 

[casportpony]

Lucky Seven is just about gone, very labored breathing, can not stand at all. Tubed fed him 50 ml this morning and he perked up for a while. I am afraid that tubing him at this point will kill him.

He is the one on the left in my avatar.

I'm so sorry! My heart is breaking for you.

-Kathy

 

[KsKingBee]

The hen next to him in the avatar is also pretty bad off, she hasn't left his side until I took him and put him in a bed in the shop. I cleaned up his face the best I could to keep the flies off him and made him a soft warm bed to lie in. Well, I am on my way to feed the hen, her eyes are pretty much matted and swollen shut but she is standing and actually looking better than this morning.

 

[casportpony]

The hen next to him in the avatar is also pretty bad off, she hasn't left his side until I took him and put him in a bed in the shop. I cleaned up his face the best I could to keep the flies off him and made him a soft warm bed to lie in. Well, I am on my way to feed the hen, her eyes are pretty much matted and swollen shut but she is standing and actually looking better than this morning.

If their crops have cleared from this morning you could try tubing some sugar water, then tube some food in an hour or two. That's probably what I would do.

-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

Can you put the boy someplace that is 80°-85° ?

-Kathy

 

[KsKingBee]

Can you put the boy someplace that is 80°-85° ?

-Kathy

He is in a warm shop at the moment. Very unusual weather here for July, normally we would be pushing 100, only got to 80 today and the next two days will be mid seventies. I could bring him into the garage where there are heat lamps going but I am not sure about bringing him in around the chicks, I don't want them infected too.

The hen got tubed, took two tries this time. I am going to use the blender for the next batch of feed. I am really uneasy about tubing Seven, he is about unconscious and breathing is labored, do you think I should attempt the sugar water? I really want to, if I do how much sugar to water?

 

[casportpony]

Quote: If you have corn syrup the amount of that I would use is maybe 5ml to 30ml water. Got to be honest, there is a good chance that the dying process has already started, if that's the case, tube him knowing that he was going to die anyway and think of it as a Hail Mary and don't be hard on yourself if he passes. I don't mean to sound insensitive, just don't want to give you any false hope.

Has his crop cleared from this morning?

-Kathy