How to administer Panacur orally using syringe

[Kay Kew]

Can anyone advise me on how to give my hens a daily dose of Panacur for gapeworm without stressing them or me too much? They are not used to being handled at all, and aren't catchable during the day, so I am having to put them into individual boxes each night when I remove them from their roosting perch in the coop. Then I take them out of the box in the morning and give them 0.4ml of Panacur each. I have tried wrapping them in a towel, but the main problem is getting them to open their beaks so that I can put the syringe in and make sure to get it in far enough so it goes down the right way etc. So far I have had someone to help me with it, but I will have to do it single handed from tomorrow on. I They are light sussex bantams which I have free ranging part of the time in my garden. I am also wondering if I am going to have to do this on a regular basis if they are likely to pick up gapeworm again. I have never kept poultry before and to the best of my knowledge, poultry have not been kept in my garden ever before, so I am not sure where the gapeworm came from. I got the hens at the beginning of August from an organic farm. All advise welcome. Thanks.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Welcome to BYC.

Do you have confirmation of gapeworm? (swabbing throat produces worms?)

Here's some info on opening a chickens mouth. You may also want to put the liquid on a piece of bread to see if they will just eat it?
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1119168/how-to-open-a-chickens-mouth

 

[Kay Kew]

Thanks very much for that information and link. I brought the hens to the vet after seeing what looked liked the kind of 'gaping' behaviour typical of gapeworm (as far as I know!) and must admit, I was a bit surprised that the vet didn't even look into their mouths, and definitely didn't take a swab or anything. She gave them a rather cursory once over (listened with stethoscope, checked nostrils, eyes etc.) and decided that gapeworm was the most likely diagnosis. She administered the first dose of 0.4mls Panacur to each one (light Sussex bantams) and told me the dose would have to be repeated for following 4 days (i.e. 5 consecutive days in all). Since the visit to the vet they don't seem to have been showing any more symptoms apart from one incident of 'gaping' when I was looking at them on the second day of dosing. I tried holding the method of gently holding the wattles this morning and it seemed to help alright, although it was still a 2 person job. Hopefully I will have someone to hold hens again tomorrow so will manage and then just one more dose to go! I was also a bit worried about getting some of the Panacur into the trachea by mistake, but seem to be doing OK so far on that front. Is the best thing to keep to one side of the tongue, or to try to put the syringe in sufficiently far that it is past the opening into the trachea?

 

[casportpony]

Thanks very much for that information and link.  I brought the hens to the vet after seeing what looked liked the kind of 'gaping' behaviour typical of gapeworm (as far as I know!) and must admit, I was a bit surprised that the vet didn't even look into their mouths, and definitely didn't take a swab or anything.  She gave them a rather cursory once over (listened with stethoscope, checked nostrils, eyes etc.) and decided that gapeworm was the most likely diagnosis.  She administered the first dose of 0.4mls Panacur to each one (light Sussex bantams) and told me the dose would have to be repeated for following 4 days (i.e. 5 consecutive days in all).  Since the visit to the vet they don't seem to have been showing any more symptoms apart from one incident of 'gaping' when I was looking at them on the second day of dosing.  I tried holding the method of gently holding the wattles this morning and it seemed to help alright, although it was still a 2 person job.  Hopefully I will have someone to hold hens again tomorrow so will manage and then just one more dose to go!  I was also a bit worried about getting some of the Panacur into the trachea by mistake, but seem to be doing OK so far on that front.  Is the best thing to keep to one side of the tongue, or to try to put the syringe in sufficiently far that it is past the opening into the trachea?

Read this:
http://www.hopkinslivestock.com/oral_dosing_article.htm

-Kathy

 

[Kay Kew]

Thanks Kathy - that is a very useful link and really shows how to avoid the trachea very well. It definitely seems to be a two person job ideally. Holding the hen's head steady and keeping the beak open without having the hen struggle and shake her head free is a bit of an art I suspect, but I did better today than the day before so by dose 5 I will be an expert!

 

[casportpony]

Thanks Kathy - that is a very useful link and really shows how to avoid the trachea very well.  It definitely seems to be a two person job ideally.  Holding the hen's head steady and keeping the beak open without having the hen struggle and shake her head free is a bit of an art I suspect, but I did better today than the day before so by dose 5 I will be an expert!

Forgot to say "welcome to BYC".

I love that article, it sure does have great pictures and instructions.

-Kathy