One of my silkie hen chicks, now about 15 ish weeks old went missing 1 week ago. After scouring all possible places she was no where to be found, and by Friday of last week I gave up hope. There was no sign that a predator had taken her. Half an hour ago she was found, under an upturned pot on the veg garden that had had potatoes in, I have no idea how this had happened. The only thing I can think of it that she had jumped onto the rim and it had upturned on her. As you can imagine she is underweight and must be dehydrated. She is very unsteady on her legs and appears not to be able to see very well. I have put her in the sick bay coup with a small dish of sugar water and meal worms. As a Nurse I am aware that giving too much food and drink to someone who hasn't eaten or drank for some time can in itself be dangerous. I imagine this would be the same for hens, can anyone advise if I am wrong. I don't want to make things worse bu allowing her to overfill herself and them vomit everything back. I think little and often will be the best policy for a few days at least. I will now be making sure there is nothing dangerous like a plant pot lying around the garden. I feel terrible that the poor little thing has suffered this for a week
Poor little thing - I am surprised she has survived in these temps. I don't really know what I'm talking about but would not an isotonic drink help her kidneys start to re-hydrate her more quickly? We are all told to avoid salt but kidneys need salt in order to filter blood and create urine (or urates in birds.)
I appreciate you know all that but just a theory to be considered...
I appreciate also that I am assuming avian kidneys work the same way as ours, which may well be wrong and they only have one kidney.
I've looked through our books but kidneys aren't even mentioned so I don't suppose any of this is of use.
Oh what luck that you found her . I can't help a lot about drink or food but have you an eye dropper you can use to give her small amounts of liquids ? I am also thinking that she will be like a stranger to the others so she will have to be back with them slowly . Sorry I can't be of more help and Please let us know how she progresses and good luck to you both .
Jackie .
4 lovely girls~~ Clover, the oldie and top chick Bonnie second in command .new girls Bluebell and Blossom. 2 lovely new girls 19-01-2015~~ Chelsea and Ruby. Eva , Florry , Poppy ,Annie and Rosie R.I.P The key to everything is patience. You get the chicken by hatching the egg, not by smashing it.” - unknown
When our recently departed darling little bantam was at her most poorly, our vet gave her a rehydrating powder in solution and it provided both glucose and electrolytes- so very much like an isotonic drink, Chookmike. I really thought she had gasped her last but it brought her round within a minute or so. I'm not sure how to gauge the dilution though.
I think that the problems of ovefeeding after starvation can be that too much fluid further dilutes depleted blood electrolytes, which can cause heart attacks (it happened to a well-known young athlete a couple of years back), and also that blood gets diverted to the digestive system and away from the vital organs, so little and often would seem sensible, but little of a balanced food rather than a titbit or treat so that she gets the balance of nutrients.
Yes, sodium is required to regulate the heart beat which is an electrical signal and sodium a metal so your comments make good sense.
I just can't find the amount of salt required and even if I could it cannot be measured in this hen of course. 0.89% in humans. Nature is wonderful though and would it be madness to suggest a range of drinks for her - one plain, one sugary and one very slightly salty?
I really hope this little hen makes it. One of ours managed to get stuck under a bucket but as the bucket was then moving across the shed floor it was an easier mystery to solve than for davinna
Thanks guys, the problem isn't getting her to eat and drink, rather I am worried she will eat and drink too much in a short peroid of time which could be equally dangerous. Humans can suffer from what is known as refeeding syndrome if they take too much too quickly after not eating and drinking. I keep checking on her, and will make sure she has water but not too much for tonight
She is tucked up safely in the sick bay coup for the night. She looks better than she did at 4.45 this evening when she was found. Fingers crossed she will be ok in the morning. I cannot believe that both hubby and myself have walked past the veg patch where she has been trapped under the plant pot numerous times everyday since she went missing she hasn't made a sound in all that time. Thank you all for your suggestions re hydrating and nourishing her
That is really good news Davina. What a lucky, lucky girl! Thank goodness you spotted her when you did.
Karen Alpha chick to: Smudge, Matisse and Bluebell
Chief servant to Marley the cat
Remembering Weeps, Rexie, Sage, Cassie, Toffee, Captain Gabby, Commander Nugget, Ronnie, Juno, Special Poetry and Reading Casper, Tigger, Tophenanall Rembrandt, Chestnut, Tiddly, Willow, Mango, Coco, Dorian Grey and Pokey.
Also my lost furries Charlie and Jasper
good grief -what a trouper she is. I'm so glad that this story seems to have a happy ending.
Bea; 19 hens (most of whom I intended to get); 6 bantams (which I never intended to have); old Benji dog and young Toby dog (who I definitely wanted). Three years into country living and loving it.
Was just reading about refeeding syndrome out of interest, and what I said turned out to be basically right but glossing over a whole load of metabolic changes that occur in order to try and conserve muscle. Any road up, it is often recommended in humans to give milk - a little easier to calibrate than the other alternatives and perhaps mixed with water for the chooks. I shall remember that next time I have a girl at death's door. Glad all's well that ends well.
she hasn't made a sound in all that time.
