Emaciated chicken

tortoise

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One of my silkies is emaciated. IDK if he was bullied and didnt have access to food, but that makes sense. He was limp and laying on his back in the coop.

I put him in a box with a heating pad, and am giving him unflavored pedialyte with a syringe and karo on a toothpick. I soaked pellets in pedialyte but IDK if he can handle that? Maybe if I dilute it?
 

FarmerJamie

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Uggh, I feel that. I found a dozen eggs in the coop this morning too. DS15 tried to tell me they "stopped laying." Nice try kiddo, we're not that dumb. :rantHe didn't want to pick eggs because he's mad at me because he got consequences for his bad teenagery choices. :rolleyes: Why must children be so childreny?
To quote a dear departed friend, "teenage brains are squiggly jello which doesn’t firm up until their early 20s"
 

FarmerJamie

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I'm pretty sure it is a management/feeding issue from DS15 not following directions. I went out to check the coop this morning and he hadn't fed them before he went to school. 🤬
Ugh, been there. When I had my egg layers a month before the wife moved out, the son kept telling me the chickens weren't laying very many eggs. It was his chore to tend to the chickens.
Only getting 6 or so a day. Since it was Dec, it didn't really seem that odd. One day, at the urging of his mom, he flat out said he wasn't doing it any more.
I went out and found over 70 eggs packed in the nesting boxes and on the coop floor. At least they were being feed, thank goodness
 

tortoise

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Ah - poor guy! Maybe if you make a slurry out of it you can get it through a syringe for him. Might have to cut the end off the syringe so it'll go through. Hope he gets better for you!
We posted at the same time! I just used an 80 mL syringe that I use for tube feeding lambs. The opening was big enough. A 3 mL syringe was too small and clogged up.

I'm contemplating a better animal first aid kit. At least for birds. DH's vet truck is usually here so I've never bothered. But he is not a chicken vet! He told me to google it 💀
 

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Ugh, been there. When I had my egg layers a month before the wife moved out, the son kept telling me the chickens weren't laying very many eggs. It was his chore to tend to the chickens.
Only getting 6 or so a day. Since it was Dec, it didn't really seem that odd. One day, at the urging of his mom, he flat out said he wasn't doing it any more.
I went out and found over 70 eggs packed in the nesting boxes and on the coop floor. At least they were being feed, thank goodness
Uggh, I feel that. I found a dozen eggs in the coop this morning too. DS15 tried to tell me they "stopped laying." Nice try kiddo, we're not that dumb. :rantHe didn't want to pick eggs because he's mad at me because he got consequences for his bad teenagery choices. :rolleyes: Why must children be so childreny?
 

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Very helpful article!
 

Trying2keepitReal

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I think syringe feeding can be hard especially with liquids. Make sure to get it in the back corner so it doesn't go down into the lungs. Tube feeding some experts day is best but I have never used it.

Scrambled eggs will help too, probably needs the protein.

I have done Gatorade warmed, works like pedialyte but I think it tastes better, not sure what chickens think.
 

Hinotori

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It's expensive, but baby parrot food works very well. It will go through the tube for lamb feeding if you cut off the tip of the rubber tube.

I hold head steady by the crest between middle and index finger and open the beak with pinky and thumb. Bird is tucked against me under arm and I wear a headlamp so I can see better. You can see the bronchial passage in the back of the throat so go to the side to miss that. Slide tube down until it stops. Squeeze in food until you can feel it in the crop well.

I always make it on the thinner side as they need more water and I'd rather just do water at food at once instead of giving water separately later. Birds seem to prefer it as well.

Sorry i didnt see this until now.
 

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