What to feed no-appetite hen w/ coccidiosis while I wait for medication?

[Tailwise]

Hey guys,

I left my house on Wednesday morning and came home Wednesday evening to a listless hen who wouldn’t eat anything. After vet examination on Thursday and a fecal float on Friday, the conclusion was: coccidiosis. It’s the first case of that I’ve ever had in my flock; previous hens have usually died of cancer, so I’m not particularly used to diseases that are treatable.

However, anti-coccidiosis drugs have to be ordered by the vet in my country - I can’t get them over the counter. Since the vet only found out about it on Friday, I won’t be getting the medication until Monday, and currently I have a hen on my hands who won’t eat (but will drink a bit). She was still in ‚remarkably good shape, considering’ (the vet) on Thursday, if wobbly. She’s getting wobblier and I can tell she’s losing strength, though while she remains slow, she’s still noticably alert (looks around a lot, occasionally takes walks).

I’m currently using a syringe to feed her some milk and a watery mash of pellets with water that has vitamins and a herbal anti-coccidiosis supplement in it that’s supposed to have some curative properties. The vet says the most important thing is keeping her hydrated, but I worry about the food intake. Is there anything else I can do to keep her relatively stable until the medication finally arrives on Monday? How hard should I worry about what condition she might be in tomorrow? I’m losing sleep over this hen.

 

[Shadrach]

Hey guys,

I left my house on Wednesday morning and came home Wednesday evening to a listless hen who wouldn’t eat anything. After vet examination on Thursday and a fecal float on Friday, the conclusion was: coccidiosis. It’s the first case of that I’ve ever had in my flock; previous hens have usually died of cancer, so I’m not particularly used to diseases that are treatable.

However, anti-coccidiosis drugs have to be ordered by the vet in my country - I can’t get them over the counter. Since the vet only found out about it on Friday, I won’t be getting the medication until Monday, and currently I have a hen on my hands who won’t eat (but will drink a bit). She was still in ‚remarkably good shape, considering’ (the vet) on Thursday, if wobbly. She’s getting wobblier and I can tell she’s losing strength, though while she remains slow, she’s still noticably alert (looks around a lot, occasionally takes walks).

I’m currently using a syringe to feed her some milk and a watery mash of pellets with water that has vitamins and a herbal anti-coccidiosis supplement in it that’s supposed to have some curative properties. The vet says the most important thing is keeping her hydrated, but I worry about the food intake. Is there anything else I can do to keep her relatively stable until the medication finally arrives on Monday? How hard should I worry about what condition she might be in tomorrow? I’m losing sleep over this hen.

I give sick chickens Mackerel, or cooked white fish. Fish is a complete protein and some.

 

[WIchickMama]

I would stop the milk and give electrolyte solution-bought or homemade. And offer lots of fresh water.

Scrambled eggs or fish (as stated above) will offer extra protein. But wet mash will work to if she enjoys it.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Buttermilk with white cooked rice.

 

[janiedoe]

Mine love sardines and boiled egg yolk, or plain scrambled eggs. Most chicks will eat a little scrambled egg, even when they have cocidosis, so hopefully your hen will too.