Heard of crop needle/tube feeding for sick birds. When is it necessary and how do you do it safely?
Crop tube feeding is for birds too weak to eat on their own.
When needed:
- Bird not eating for 24+ hours
- Too weak to swallow
- Recovery from surgery/severe illness
Technique: Soft tube down throat into crop (feel the tube in the crop to confirm placement). Slowly dispense liquid food. Do NOT force if there’s resistance.
Get a vet or experienced fancier to show you first time. Wrong placement can be fatal.