a question about feeding different foods to hens

[Luvachicken]

I'm hoping Peggy is finally feeling a little bit better.

I think she really has been knocked down by being so poorly.

I ordered her the recovery stuff but she was having none of that.

What I'm finding hard is getting her things to eat - the sweetcorn the other day was a hit and then she didn't like it, the same with the mealworms, strawberries, maggots etc.

Today's favourite was tuna, but then although I had drained it, it probably still had salt on it, as it was in brine. She did actually almost tuck into it  After I rinsed it she wasn't that bothered.

I cooked her some veggies and although she didn't eat them she did like the water they were cooked in.

Another hit yesterday were crickets - oh my goodness do they hop - today we are not quite so keen. Happy enough to kill them but not so bothered to eat them.

We are getting there very slowly.

I'm going to walk to town in a bit to get some tuna in sunflower oil and a courgette.

She has been in a spare broody cage this afternoon - she has had a little clean of her feathers, a little nibble of the grass and eaten a few sunflower hearts.

What other things can I get her to eat either from the shops or the garden ?

 

[Cat tails]

What about wet cat food? Mine will do just about everything for that.

[Beantree]

Try preening her. Go over all her feathers at the base and remove any sheaths. She will preen herself and that may kickstart normal behaviour. Long shot I know but I'm trying that now with one of ours.

[Luvachicken]

1 hour ago, Cat tails said:

What about wet cat food? Mine will do just about everything for that.

Do you mean like Go Cat type biscuit things that you soak in water  @Cat tails ?

48 minutes ago, Beantree said:

Try preening her. Go over all her feathers at the base and remove any sheaths. She will preen herself and that may kickstart normal behaviour. Long shot I know but I'm trying that now with one of ours.

I will give that a go tomorrow @Beantree

We've walked up town and bought a whole load of things - not just for her, we can eat them too - cauliflower, 1 courgette, some soft spring greens, blueberries (not sure about them), some tiny apples, some tuna in sunflower oil, and her favourite, broccoli.

She has just eaten some more crickets thank goodness, and a little bit of broccoli .

 

[Daphne]

Not saying it will work, but when mine are poorly and not eating I mix weetabix, chicken mash, or bashed up pellets, with cold water and hand feed.   

[mullethunter]

The thing that got my Polly eating when she’d been stung was scrambled egg - basically just an egg cooked in the microwave and scrambled halfway through - I didn’t add any milk (or salt and pepper!).

So pleased that she seems to be feeling better.

[Luvachicken]

Thanks @Daphne and @mullethunter

I will try both those things tomorrow.

I think she gets fed up of me keep offering her food and must think "oh no, not you again"

[Cat tails]

41 minutes ago, Luvachicken said:

Do you mean like Go Cat type biscuit things that you soak in water  @Cat tails ?

No just canned cat food. But maybe go for the chunks in gravy rather than pâté. A bit of Sheba does wonders! 😂

Dog food probably does the trick too, but often has much bigger chunks.

[Luvachicken]

Thank you so much @Cat tails I will pop back to the shops tomorrow and grab her a couple of portions of Sheba 😊

Any particular flavour to have or avoid ?

 

[Cat tails]

5 minutes ago, Luvachicken said:

Thank you so much @Cat tails I will pop back to the shops tomorrow and grab her a couple of portions of Sheba 😊

Any particular flavour to have or avoid ?

 

Well… steer clear of the chicken… 😂

But otherwise it doesn’t really matter. My cats prefer Sauce Lovers, but then they are cats.

[Daphne]

On the basis many foods are flavoured, not actually made of the ingredient, I have often wondered why cat food isn't mouse or vole flavoured for example! 

How is Peggy today, Luvachicken?

 

[Luvachicken]

8 hours ago, Daphne said:

How is Peggy today, Luvachicken?

Peggy is still hanging in there.

She doesn't seem to be "coughing" so much.

She has been cleaning some of her feathers.

The broccoli is her favourite along with some crickets.

Keeping them in the fridge for a bit really calms then down - unfortunately, if you keep them in there for too long, they die - but Peggy doesn't mind.

I found a cricket had made it into my lounge - he certainly hopped a long way.

We bought her some cat food tonight. She didn't seem that bothered by it earlier, so might try again tomorrow.

[Luvachicken]

We've been back to the vets again this morning.

He agreed that although she is better she is still not 100%

She still sounds snuffly but it sounds more dry now rather than snotty sounding.

She has been in a spare broody cage on the grass today and yesterday

Today is a day for a few flying ants, so I have been trying to catch as many as I can for her. There are also some of the big ants around - much easier to control than crickets.

The vet gave her some more Tylan and gave her some drops that do worming.

She doesn't like the cat food, which is a shame because it looks quite tasty.

 

 

[mullethunter]

I sometimes find that when they start to get better they need to get out of the henspital because they seem to need the stimulation of being outside to really properly perk back up again. 

Hope she continues to improve.

[Luvachicken]

Thanks @mullethunter

I think she misses her friends.

I imagine they haven't even noticed she has gone.

The vet today said not to put her back with the others until she is totally better, sadly she will just have to make the best of it in the broody cage on nice days.

 I spent at least 2 hours collecting the big, black ants - she absolutely loved them.

Fingers crossed it is enough to get her system going. 

[Luvachicken]

Sadly, I think our trip to the vet has made Peggy go down hill 

She really isn't so good.

We have been syringe drinking her the antibiotics every hour for the last couple of days. Hubby even did it for me while I was at work this morning.

She is upright and looks bright enough but it is really the eating that is the problem.

You name it, she has it in the crate to eat, but doesn't eat it.

Yesterday, I liquidised her some sweetcorn and syringed her the juice but it isn't enough.

It is too hot to put her outside, which is a shame.

I really don't know what else to try.

[Cat tails]

Maybe as a last resort to give her a good energy boost: vets normally stock syringe feeds for cat and dogs. High in calories and proteins, often given after surgeries etc.