Whats an good extra fat source?

[Claireclaes]

I'm currently nursing a little bantam with a terrible case of fowl pox, her eyes are sealed.

She is eating her normal feed and a scrambled egg everyday but I can feel how skinny she is getting. What is something good and fatty I can add to her food? Would it be ok to add melted butter or coconut oil to the egg.

She loves mozzarella but I know too much dairy isn't a good idea.

Thank you!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I would not add extra fat to her diet.
Her eyes are sealed, are you sure she's eating enough of her normal feed? You may want to consider tube feeding her as suggested in your other thread until you can get her eyes healed. https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/eyes-swollen-closed-fowl-pox-tony-chicken.1495157/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/crop-feeding.75454/

 

[Folly's place]

Be aware that it's easy to mess up doing tube feeding, be careful!
Agree that adding fat by itself isn't the best idea, but at least hand feeding will help if she's calm with you doing it. Eggs and her all-flock or chick diet are good. Poor bird!
What about aspirin? Any thoughts? @Wyorp Rock ? I've never had to treat this.
Mary

 

[kerbotx]

Chickens need muscle, not fat; try a higher protein chicken feed, in the 18-22% range. I've read here about folks supplementing with a baby bird formula: https://www.chewy.com/kaytee-exact-hand-feeding-formula/dp/123059

 

[Claireclaes]

Thank you, i havent dared tube feeding to be honest, she is so small, i have to wrap her in a towel and lay her on her side to do her eyes and ive got about 2 seconds before she flips out. Im worried I would hurt her. She is nuts about and scrambled egg, i think she can smell it, i hold a bowl up for her and tap the side, same with water, she is drinking a lot and eats a whole egg but i dont think enough grain, she just doesnt seem interested in it, plus she is not walking around.

My other hens are always so hungry in the morning but this one seems more interested in the afternoon. Moved her inside to the bath tub today because the weather turned so wet.

Would wet cat food be ok, it really stinks.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

You can make a wet mash out of her feed.

As for Aspirin, it could be used I suppose to help with pain but it's only meant to be given for 2-3 days. I doubt it would help with any of the swelling from the Fowl Pox since the virus has to run it course. Frustrating I know. Secondary bacterial infection from Fowl Pox can be treated with Tetracyclines.

Be aware that it's easy to mess up doing tube feeding, be careful!
Agree that adding fat by itself isn't the best idea, but at least hand feeding will help if she's calm with you doing it. Eggs and her all-flock or chick diet are good. Poor bird!
What about aspirin? Any thoughts? @Wyorp Rock ? I've never had to treat this.
Mary