Dumb question?

[TXchick]

I posted a thread a few days ago about my scalped chicken "another scalped chicken thread". Anyway, my little roo is still hanging in there and for the first time in the week since it happened, he has started drinking on his own. This is such a relief as I knew I was not getting enough in him by just trying to squirt stuff in with a syringe. He can't control his head very well still and he is weak so when he drinks, he puts his beak in up past his nostrils. My (stupid) question is, do their nostrils also lead to their throat (like ours)? If he is upright and drinking and leaning his head back a little like a normal chicken but he has liquid possibly going in his nostrils, is that going in his lungs or can I assume it is going down the back of his throat if he is not sneezing and coughing? I ask because I am giving him anything with calories and protein I can get him to drink...... like right now he is drinking milk. Last night it was diluted gatorade. So it isn't just water that would be getting in his lungs if that's what would be happening. Does this question even make sense? I'd rather not adjust the depth of the liquid in the cup as I think I have a really good thing going here. I'm so excited he is drinking!!!!

 

[boskelli1571]

Hello,
Good news for your roo! Seems like he's perking up a little. Your question is not stupid, in fact, I wasn't sure so I went googling. I found a web site you might like to see: www.uspoultry.org - has a great section on chicken anatomy. Anyway, the nares (nostrils) do lead to the lungs as in humans. Since he is not choking, coughing or spluttering, I think you can assume he's not filling up his lungs.
Keep up the good work, keep us posted, Sue

 

[TXchick]

okay good. I will check that out. Thanks so much for looking. I figured they would have to lead to both places like us but you never know. Thanks for taking the time to check. Even if he doesn't make it because of the wound, I feel better knowing he feels good enough to do a little something to help himself. What a trooper!

 

[boskelli1571]

okay good. I will check that out. Thanks so much for looking. I figured they would have to lead to both places like us but you never know. Thanks for taking the time to check. Even if he doesn't make it because of the wound, I feel better knowing he feels good enough to do a little something to help himself. What a trooper!

Any progress to report?? Sue

 

[TXchick]

yes! I don't know if you saw the update I posted on the original threat which was called "another scalped chicken" or something like that. I posted a week or so ago wondering about a section of his skull that was black. Well I have no idea what happened really but that little black section fell off yesterday and so now his head is officially covered in skin! It is amazing!! Check out how it looked on November 2nd and then as of last night! I guess skin was growing up under that piece of dead skull? It's so amazing. The only problem now is he is really aggressive. He attacks me when I let him out of his cage for exercise and will attack my hands when I put food in the cage. He isn't ready to go back in with any of the girls yet. I would like to see more feathers grow or at least that skin be pretty thick even if it is scar tissue. I think when he goes back, I will put him in with smaller girls who can't get to his head. But I figure I am still a few weeks away from that. Thanks for checking on him! Basically when he started drinking he made a dramatic turnaround. Fluids are everything.

 

[boskelli1571]

Good to know he's still around

Sue