[conventgirl]

Was just wondering if anyone has got any advice as to what i could be giving my chuck to drink.

She is not well and has gone off her food apart from lettuce!! which i no she shouldnt have much of and the worms i am digging up for her.  

She is drinking well so i put some honey in her water but was just wondering if i could be putting anything else in there?

Any suggestions welcome.  Thanks

[Aunt Sally]

In what way is she not well conventgirl.  Can you give us any more details or symptoms ?

[conventgirl]

Hi Aunt Sally,

She is an exbatt and she very lethargic and wanting to sleep alot.  She has been like this since i got her but has now got worse.  She does wander around but rather slowly and does peck at things so is showing some interest.

Tbh i dont really hold out much hope for her but just wanted to do the best for her  

I wondered if the electrolyte powder would be any good but i can only find blackcurrant flavour?

[conventgirl]

I have just read the post "should i put her out of her misery".

My girl has fully feathered up and seems slightly brighter than bekis chuck.  She came oven ready and has really put on alot of weight which is why i dont want to give up hope yet.  I have tried the meal worms which she doesnt like as they dont wriggle!!!  Think i will give the cat food or tuna a go later on but any drinking ideas welcome.

I want to give her every chance possible  

[Jellyhead]

You can get tiny little syringes from the vets (no needles of course). I would put a little salt and a little sugar in some warm water and offer it to her first in a dish and if she doesnt take it try the syringe. Good luck.

[Aunt Sally]

She sounds very worn out by all that egg laying.  Is she laying eggs now ?    Is her abdomen swollen (the bit between her vent and breast bone) ?

It could be quite a few things wrong including egg problems like lack of calcium or egg peritonitis.

Electrolyte is good if she is not drinking much or has diarrhea, I don't think the flavour will worry her.  Yogurt will help with her calcium and phosphorous level as will crushed oyster shell or limestone flour.  A little cod liver oil (just a drop) will help her to absorb the calcium. Tempt her with a little flaked white fish.    If you think she has picked up an infection, feel if she's hot under her wing, she may need some antibiotics.

Sometimes they will pull round sometimes not.  

[conventgirl]

She is actually drinking well so there isnt a need for a syringe..but thanks for the advice Jelly.

She laid a few eggs when we got her (end of may) but stopped quite soon...i put this down to her putting all her energies into feather production as she was oven ready.

Her abdomen doesnt seem swollen...have felt in the past for an egg but couldnt feel anything.

She doesnt feel hot either.  I had been wondering about a lack of calcuim and i bought her a live yogurt which she didnt touch  

I have cod liver oil but might have to give it to her direct as i dont think it will stay on a bit of lettuce  

As you can see i am trying to rule things out but like you said she might not pull through but i dont have animals to give up at the first hurdle...you have them and look after them.

Thanks for all the advice...i knew i could count on guys here  

[Aunt Sally]

See if you can get her to eat a little more than lettuce.  It won't do her any good, just scour her. Fish, cat food, tunna fish in spring water, oatmeal.  Not too many worms as they might upset her tum. Moist layers mash would be the best.  Try putting a little food into her beak as see if she will swallow it.

Good luck, let us know how she gets on  

[poultrygeist]

Don't do this without agreement, but would fruit juice be too much for her ? Maybe watered down ?

Just thinking of the sugar and vitamins helping.

Would raw liver help at this stage ?

I've seen porridge mentioned elsewhere, and one of Munty's homebrews (corn, bran, veg boiled up) ?

Hope she perks up for you. Well done for giving her a chance.

Rob

[conventgirl]

She has just been wandering round the garden pecking at the grass but when i tried her with the porridge she wasnt interested.  She has also just had a little chick crumb.

Will try some wet pellets later on..i no if she wont eat it the other chucks will.

Am sure she would swallow if i put it in her beak though.

Thanks for the advice   will keep you posted x

[conventgirl]

Thanks rob...she is drinking fine which is why i have been putting sugar/honey in her water just to give her a few more nutrients so i can see your way of thinking with the fruit juice.

All my girls love porridge...in fact i would say they prefer it to corn!!  

Although my girls have been known to eat anything..including potato and rhubarb leaves.  Nessa; my really fat battery hen (she was rescued fat with only a bald patch round her neck!) has even been known to pinch chilli and lemon crisps off my plate and eat them all!!!  She is always popping into the kitchen to see what bits i have accidently dropped on the floor  

[poultrygeist]

Saves having a dog I suppose  

it would be nice if we could give them a menu so they could choose what they want. Once you find what she'll eat, it'll be a lot easier.

rob

[conventgirl]

It does save on having a dog  

All my chucks are currently camped outside the back door waiting for my back to turn so they can sneak in.  They even fall asleep there!!

I just hope that i can tempt Maggie into eating something as she has gone off all her usual favorites   She has certainly got a fully stocked  chuck buffet waiting to tempt her x

[Foxy]

perhaps  high quality layers mash instead of pellets, you could mix a little catfood in that. It could be because in the cages thats what they would have been used too.

[Aunt Sally]

perhaps  high quality layers mash instead of pellets, you could mix a little catfood in that. It could be because in the cages thats what they would have been used too.

I give my hens warm moist layers mash every afternoon, they love it and you can put all sorts of goodnes into it.

Rob I was told never to give hens citrus fruit !