Wasting Silkies

[sheeshshe]

how many days until I re-dust with a pyretherin? I can't find this info anywhere.

 

[casportpony]

the problem is, I don't know how to tube feed. I heard it is risky if you don't know what you're doing.

I'll go ahead and weigh him now.


As far as where I got them, I got them from a lady on craigslist who breeds silkies. she said they were part top hat, and part 2 other things. I can't remember the names of them. I got them for my son for his birthday because he wanted to maybe do some show birds at the fair. not happening now.

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

ok, his weight went up! it is now 2 pounds 6.4 oz. it was 2 pounds 5 oz

Okay, well that' good.

well, whatever I need to commit to, I only have a few days to do it as we're leaving for 7 days saturday morning.

I can't tube feed, it is too risky for me. I'm not comfortable doing it at all.

Hopefully he'll get stronger and survive until you get back.

 

[casportpony]

how many days until I re-dust with a pyretherin? I can't find this info anywhere.

I've read here that some people do it every 7-10 days until there are no more bugs.

 

[casportpony]

Curiously, why is everyone so afraid to tube?

 

[realsis]

I'm not sure why? I just bought a tube to have on hand in my emergency kit. I found it for about 5.00 online with shipping. my FEAR would be correct placement. but in the face of emergency I'd definitely use it while treating. I think what people are saying is the quality of life if you must use the tube in a long term situation... perhaps isn't so good. that's my guess. but faced with a situation where I needed too tube I would do it.

 

[casportpony]

I'm not sure why? I just bought a tube to have on hand in my emergency kit. I found it for about 5.00 online with shipping. my FEAR would be correct placement. but in the face of emergency I'd definitely use it while treating. I think what people are saying is the quality of life if you must use the tube in a long term situation... perhaps isn't so good. that's my guess. but faced with a situation where I needed too tube I would do it.

Unless you have a very small tube, incorrect placement is almost impossible. Risk of aspiration only occurs when/if:

• The tube is not far enough down
• Too much is given
• Given too fast
• Very sick bird (will vomit with very small amount in crop)
• Improper handling during or after tubing (pressure on the crop, which is why I don't wrap in a towel)

If anyone has ever given subcutaneous fluids to their cat or dog, they can tube feed, I guarantee it. I remember the first time I did it... no help from the web, just a basic understanding of chicken anatomy. At the time I had a cat that needed enemas (megacolon), so I already had size 18 french tube and large syringe on hand. I mixed up some crumble w/water and got busy. He was very large, so he got around 100cc and I've been tubing ever since.

For those that are afraid of placing the tube down the trachea, I would suggest that they practice placing the tube on a healthy bird (no food/water in tube). Once they see how easy it is, they should try it with a small amount of water.

By the time most people notice that their birds are sick, they are probably dehydrated and not eating enough. What the vet told me was "it's not usually the disease that kills them, it's dehydration and starvation".

People don't seem to realize how much fluid their birds actually need when not drinking. I know many dropper it in, but seriously, how long will it take to give enough (30ml/kg every 6-8 hours)? And what about the stress it causes the bird to force it to drink? If you get good at it, you can tube 120cc in well under five minutes.

I completely understand the quality of life issue, but like many here on BYC, and I *don't* mean *anyone* that's posted in this thread, I am guilty of prolonging the life of animals with terminal diseases when I should just euthanize them. For some reason I'm much better with cats, dogs and horses in that I know when their time has come.

FWIW, I am available by phone and will talk anyone through this. Just PM me and I'll reply with my number.

 

[sheeshshe]

well, when my budgie was sick, I was dealing with a holistic practitioner because my regular vet couldn't help her. The holistic practitioner told me that it is very dangerous to tube feed if you don't know what you're doing because of the risk of aspiration. I wasn't comfortable with chancing it. Maybe it isn't as bad on a larger bird such as a chicken, but since budgies are very tiny, and she was less than an ounce in weight, it was much more risky than performing it on a chicken?

As for snowcone, I think that he looks better today. he looked like he has food in his crop when I went out there this morning. and he isn't sulking any more. he's preening and acting happy. perhaps it was worms bothering him?? I dont' know.

 

[casportpony]

well, when my budgie was sick, I was dealing with a holistic practitioner because my regular vet couldn't help her. The holistic practitioner told me that it is very dangerous to tube feed if you don't know what you're doing because of the risk of aspiration. I wasn't comfortable with chancing it. Maybe it isn't as bad on a larger bird such as a chicken, but since budgies are very tiny, and she was less than an ounce in weight, it was much more risky than performing it on a chicken?

As for snowcone, I think that he looks better today. he looked like he has food in his crop when I went out there this morning. and he isn't sulking any more. he's preening and acting happy. perhaps it was worms bothering him?? I don't' know.

Small birds, including chicks, are much harder and I *wouldn't* that suggest starting off that way. They should probably also be done with a properly sized crop needle, not a tube. Although it can be done with a small enough tube (recently raised a pigeon that I hatched).

I'm happy to hear that he's doing better and hope he improves while you're away.

 

[casportpony]

For those that might be interested in tubing, here is a tube size chart:

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​

 

[sheeshshe]

thank you!

I started giving him oil of oregano diluted yesterday... so that could be kicking in as well. it worked VERY fast on my budgie. I'll keep giving it all week. maybe it is an infection of some sort that we can't see,.