Very ill chicken. What do I do??

[casportpony]

Your vet could show you how to tube feed and set you up with the stuff to do it. At this point, warmth and hydration are most important. You need to get a basline weight her and figure out how much fluid she needs.

 

[casportpony]

Here are some links about tube feeding:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...cken-and-give-subcutaneous-fluid#post_9910754
http://forum.backyardpoultry.com/viewtopic.php?t=7933

 

[cowcreekgeek]

Your vet could show you how to tube feed and set you up with the stuff to do it. At this point, warmth and hydration are most important. You need to get a basline weight her and figure out how much fluid she needs.

Not so sure this specific vet's likely to do 'em much good (put down their other one for thrush), so you're most probably their best chance for success ~'-)

 

[willowbranchfarm]

TUBE FEEDING

Here is NIMBY CHICKENS’s wonderful TUBE FEEDING TUTORIAL:

Supplies:

• olive oil
• 20-ml syringe
• feeding tube
• Polyvisol infant vitamins without iron.

The feeding tube can be bought from a vet for around $3.00. The tube is also known as a red rubber tube and come in sizes called French (Fr.). Most standard sized chickens are probably going to be about a 10 or 14 Fr. Also, the larger the diameter of the tube you can get, the less likely you are going to have to deal with clogs.

The vet gave also give you the syringes (no needles to go with them obviously, just the syringe) and the rest can be bought at the store. The bigger the syringe, the better since you don't have to draw up more often. If you can get a 35cc syringe most women with average sized hands find these easiest to work with. Most vets would be able to get you a 60cc syringe, but unless you have large hands these are a real pain when they are full and you're pushing the food through. If possible, many people find catheter tip syringes easier to use with a red rubber tube. Leur-lock syringes have threading at the tip that helps hold needles in place. It doesn't do much for a red rubber tube but will work if you have nothing else.

Use the oil to grease the feeding tube and also the plunger on the syringe to make it go down smoother. Just FYI: if the red rubber tube is too flimsy you can place it in ice water for several minutes to make it a little stiffer.

Use a blender with a liquefy setting or something similar. Do not use a food processor as in my experience they can leak. Use the same ingredients for a mash, but you want a thinner mix for tube feeding. Blend, leaving it on liquefy for 5 minutes and adding hot water if it is too thick, and then blending some more. You want the end result to be a velvety-smooth goop that will flow easily through the syringe. However, you will get some clogs no matter what you do. Try not to force the clog, as the pressure will cause the tube to pop off and spray goo. Just pull the plunger back and forth until it frees up, or if it is really bad, disconnect it from the tube, poke a needle through the tip to see if the clog is there, and try again.

For inserting the tube, you are going to need an assistant. First restrain the bird by wrapping it in a towel, or for a smaller bird you can use the cut-off sleeve of a sweatshirt.





A young Silkie cockerel

Use one hand on the bird’s breast and the other to gently hold its neck. Extend the neck. Holding them like this, they can't escape and your buddy can feel the feeding tube going down into the crop. The first few times you will be terrified of getting it in the wrong hole, but after a while you will be a pro. Another tip, make sure the chicken's neck is extended. Chickens and other birds have a sort of S shaped neck when they are holding it naturally, and this can make it more difficult to pass the tube.





the lovely Miss Bird









You want to aim the feeding tube down the LEFT side of the chicken's mouth if you are facing her. The crop goes off to the chicken's right side. You can feel the crop and jiggle the feeding tube to be sure it's in the right place. When you are sure it's down the right hole, attach the syringe to the feeding tube and fill your chicken with goo! Do not overfeed or you'll have a chicken squirting food out of her mouth.

Important note: Don't force the tube! It should slide down the esophagus into the crop smoothly and without resistance, especially if you are using olive oil to lubricate. If you have to force it, you're in the wrong place and you need to pull out and try again. If you stay to the right side of the mouth/throat (your left if you are facing the chicken while doing this) then it should slide in easy and you'll be fine. Red rubber tubes are a very safe way to tube feed. Some people also use metal gavage tubes, but these can be dangerous if you don't know what you are doing because they can cause tears to the crop if force is used. The red rubber tube doesn't have enough substance to it to cause the crop to rupture unless you are using what will obviously be too much force.

Your bird may fight the insertion a little because the feeding tube feels weird and a little uncomfortable, but eventually they will settle down. She is able to take 6 1/2 syringes full from the 20 ml syringes I have.

 

[casportpony]

Not so sure this specific vet's likely to do 'em much good (put down their other one for thrush), so you're most probably their best chance for success ~'-)

You're right, but the OP will need to get the tube and syringe and the best place to get them is at the vet. FWIW, when I give fluids, I use a size 18 french, but when I give food, I use a 30 french.

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​

 

[casportpony]

Warning! I have noticed that a birds crop size seems to shrink if they haven't been eating/drinking, so I give very small amounts to start with, wait for the crop to clear and give more. If you give too much, too fast, the bird might vomit and aspirate. Always hydrate before force feeding.

 

[casportpony]

Another thought... I don't wrap mine because I like to feel the size of the crop while giving fluids and/or food via the tube. I also don't want any pressure on the crop since that can make them vomit.

 

[chickflick]

Did you do a search on sour crop? A while back someone posted a treatment she tried on her hen with success.

"After two weeks of trying every other sour crop treatment with no signs of improvement, I go desperate and tried something unproven. After learning that sour crop is a form of yeast infection and reading that some others had treated with Clortrimazole (found in Lotrimin and Mycelex), I decided to try it. However, I was unable to locate any in my small town. So, with the hen in danger of dying already, I purchased a generic box of Monistat 3 (for about $5) which contains Miconazole Nitrate and decided to give it a try.

The box contained 3 suppositories in thirds and fed the hen one third each morning, and one third each evening until all 9 pieces were gone. I continued syringe feeding yogurt, boiled egg yolk, and gruel made from finely ground chicken feed and water.

I am happy to say our hen has made a full recovery! I thought others might find this helpful"

 

[poultry 101]

What do y'all use to our water in beside the coop because mine is to long of a walk from house to pasture?

 

[casportpony]

Did you do a search on sour crop? A while back someone posted a treatment she tried on her hen with success.

"After two weeks of trying every other sour crop treatment with no signs of improvement, I go desperate and tried something unproven. After learning that sour crop is a form of yeast infection and reading that some others had treated with Clortrimazole (found in Lotrimin and Mycelex), I decided to try it. However, I was unable to locate any in my small town. So, with the hen in danger of dying already, I purchased a generic box of Monistat 3 (for about $5) which contains Miconazole Nitrate and decided to give it a try.

The box contained 3 suppositories in thirds and fed the hen one third each morning, and one third each evening until all 9 pieces were gone. I continued syringe feeding yogurt, boiled egg yolk, and gruel made from finely ground chicken feed and water.

I am happy to say our hen has made a full recovery! I thought others might find this helpful"

One can also by Nystatin for birds:
http://www.finchniche.com/product_medistatin.php

Treatment for Candida (Yeast & Fungal) Infections​

NOTE: When Twirling is caused by a
Fungal Infection of the inner ear,
Medistatin treatment can be beneficial.
For the prevention and treatment of
Candida in pigeons and birds.
Composition: Nystatin 400 000i.u. per gram
The only Nystatin powder specifically for pigeons and birds in the world. Easy to administer over food. Ideal for crop dosing baby birds.
Dosage and Administration:
Avian: Mix 5g with 500g of soft food for 5-7 days.
Hand Reared Chicks:
Prevention: Mix 1g per 200g of soft food daily for as long as symptoms prevail.
Treatment: Mix 1g per 20ml of water, shake well and dose 1ml of mixture per 100g bodyweight twice daily.
Mix Fresh Daily.

Available Sizes: 100grams
Manufacturer: Medpet

This product is not intended or approved for stock whose meat or eggs are intended for human consumption. Consult your veterinarian for authorization and supervision in administering this or any antimicrobial medication. ​

Medistatin - powdered Nystatin – Recommended treatment for Candida (crop fungus infection) resulting in the poor growth of young birds. Ideal for crop dosing and while hand-feeding babies.
Please Select: 100g = 3 for $131.98100g = $48.8950g = 3 for $69.9150g = $25.89

​