[Pretty Chick]

One of our hens is very ill ( ) and we will do all we can to get her an appointment at the vets on Monday.

In the meantime, she is not eating much at all, so we think we should syringe feed her.

We have a syringe, but what shall we feed her with??

She really needs to have something in her, so will really appreciate it if someone can offer advice as soon as possible

Many thanks

[Caralou]

When I had to syringe feed I mixed the pellets with warm water into a thin paste and mixed in a little blended tuna cat food and then used this mix. It makes sure they get the nutritional benefit of the pellets and the protein and taste from the tuna. The mix really perked my girl up and after a little syringe feeding managed to get her to tuck into a bowl of the mix on her own. I hope your little lady perks up soon x

[joyfull]

I also add manuka honey (get the highest number that you can afford) as this is famous for it's healing properties 

[Aunt Sally]

Are you going to drip it into her mouth or are you syringing into the crop ?

[Pretty Chick]

Thank you all so much for replying.

I'll mix the pellets with warm water and a small amount of cat food as we are unable to get some manuka honey today (but thank you for that joyfull ).

Aunt Sally - We're going to drip it into her mouth

[Aunt Sally]

That's fine PC

[hillfooter]

Personally I'd just make sure she gets plenty of liquid (water with some added glucose and a multivit).  Dehydration is more of a problem than food.  You haven't said what the symptoms of her sickness are and whether she's eating or drinking at all or just a little.

If she's suffering from impacted or sour crop the last thing you want to do is syringe in a dubious gruel of chicken food.  Before you start force feeeding her you need to be sure it's not going to cause more harm than good.  Check her crop and if it feels hard and lumpy and she's not eating it could be impacted crop or if there's a foul smell and it feels large and spongy it could be sour crop.  You need to deal with these issues first before thinking of feeding her.

Once I was sure there's no issue with the crop concentrate on keeping her warm and comfortable and hydrated would be my priority and if she's not drinking at all mix up an electrolyte , see below and syringe it into her using a 10ml syringe.  Offer her titbits to eat and anything which might tempt her but don't force feed her.  Stressing her is not a good idea.

Dissolve in 0.6 litres of water

1 ml of Salt substitute, (potassium chlorite)
1.5 ml  of Bicarbarbonate of soda (baking soda)
3 ml  salt
4 ml  of glucose (if you have multivits as well add this but optional)

These are quite smal measures and you can dilute them to make them more manageable for example disolve 5ml (a teaspoonful) of salt in some warm water and only use a fifth in the drink you mix.  Or multipy everything by 5 which will produce easy measures and use the excess with your other chickens.

This will make up enough drink for at least 3 days.  If you manage to syringe 100ml of this down her per day you will have done well.  Normal consumption would be 200ml.

Best of luck
HF

[Pretty Chick]

Thank you very much hillfooter .
I have recently posted a topic on here called Hen going downhill Please help!!!!!
If you have the time to read that topic, it explains what's wrong with her.

[Aunt Sally]

A brief summary here would be a good idea PC.  It saves people having to go elsewhere, find the correct thread and work their way through pages of opinions and wishes by others that the creature will get well soon. 

I only answer questions if the relevant information is on the topic I'm reading.

[Pretty Chick]

Okay

Sooty has scaly leg which has affected her comb and wattles extremely badly. She also has staphylococcal.

We took her to the vet who gave us some antibiotics to give her and also benzyl benzoate to put on all affected areas.

She must've reacted badly to something, as unfortunately her condition is getting worse, so we are going to take her back to the vets.
Her comb is as hard as rock and thoroughly black. Her wattles are very sore and scabby.

I'm sure she has lost quite a bit of weight.

[Aunt Sally]

What do other family members think is wrong ?

Hillfooters rehydration scheme is very good.

[Pretty Chick]

What do other family members think is wrong ?

Hillfooters rehydration scheme is very good.

Nothing is wrong with it at all - it's very good
I thought I'd describe what's wrong with Sooty because hillfooter thought she may have sour or impacted crop and she doesn't, so I thought I'd explain what's wrong with her.
Hillfooter's suggestion is very helpful

[hillfooter]

Okay

Sooty has scaly leg which has affected her comb and wattles extremely badly. She also has staphylococcal.

We took her to the vet who gave us some antibiotics to give her and also benzyl benzoate to put on all affected areas.

She must've reacted badly to something, as unfortunately her condition is getting worse, so we are going to take her back to the vets.
Her comb is as hard as rock and thoroughly black. Her wattles are very sore and scabby.

I'm sure she has lost quite a bit of weight.

Oh I see.  No I hadn't seen the previous thread you girls had been gossiping away on another thread while I was on holiday in NorthYorshire then.  Thanks for clearing that up Aunt Sally.

Hope all goes better at the vets then.
HF

[Ice]

If you make a post that refers to another topic maybe it would be a good idea to post a link to it.  Saves confusion.

[Aunt Sally]

What do other family members think is wrong ?

Hillfooters rehydration scheme is very good.

Nothing is wrong with it at all - it's very good
I thought I'd describe what's wrong with Sooty because hillfooter thought she may have sour or impacted crop and she doesn't, so I thought I'd explain what's wrong with her.
Hillfooter's suggestion is very helpful

No PC.  I meant what does you family think is wrong with the hen.