How to give a chicken liquid medicine

[Autumn Mama]

to clarify this post, is there ANY chance she will be damaged from aspirating the baytril i have to dose my 6 week old chick with? or will it just sting if i get it down the wrong tube, and she will sneeze and clear her airway and be okay? the thought of drowning her with meds isn't a pleasant one.

 

[Wol1]

Just give her a little at a time and let her swallow it. You'll soon get a feel for how much to give her at a time. I ended up doing this with the recalcitrant bird that started this thread. I gave up on the thrachea vs esophagus issue... I could never remember which side to aim for. I also have given medicine to other, more cooperative, birds this way... a squirt at a time.

 

[Wol1]

IMPORTANT UPDATE FROM ORIGINAL POSTER:

Some important things I learned since my original post:

It can help to try to open the beak the way you open a cat's mouth to give it medicine: reach around and slide back fingers (ring and pinky fingers) around neck (gently, but firmly... don't want to break her neck!) and cup back of head in palm. Reach forward with thumb and index finger to hold upper beak, and use third finger or other hand and to pry beak open. Once the beak is pried open, slide your finger(s) under the edge(s) of her beak. She will FIGHT but hold on! She will eventually give up and be still. If it gets out of control, stop, calm her, then try again.

The trachea is a hole at the back (base) of the tongue. Looks exactly like it ought to be the throat - it's right where a human throat would be. Slide the syringe point to the right (bird's right) past the trachea being as careful as you can reasonably be not to scrape the side of the throat and you will be in the throat rather than the trachea. If you just can't get it, the only option I found is to give it to her a little bit at a time in the beak near the front, release the beak, and give her a moment to swallow it (you will see her tongue moving) and repeat until done.

This is the most wonderful description with excellent pictures of how to get the medicine past the trachea that I've found: http://www.hopkinslivestock.com/oral_dosing_article.htm It's for peafowl, but it is so clear you will understand exactly how it's done.

 

[babykat]

Hi, all. Hopefully, this helps anyone out there struggling with "uncooperative patients"! I came up with an EASY (for me, anyhow) way of administering small doses of oral meds... And I PROMISE it causes absolutely NO STRESS to the patient LOL!

I recently had to get some Duramycin (at Tractor Supply) for my sick5 yr old hen, but it is now only avail in vials for injection :-( SOOOOO, I drew up the proper dose for my poor sick girl, but rather than inject her, I injected 3 red grapes, then fed them to her...

She LOVED it

 

[tomH]

I dipped a piece of bread from the end of the loaf(to hold it together) into the liquid meds and she gobbled it right down.

 

[Blooie]

I just used to squirt the liquid on a little piece of bread and let it soak in, then offer it. Worth a shot...that's how I made sure that every chicken in the flock got what they needed in the exact amount they needed without resorting to tussles or putting it in their water and not knowing which chicken got how much.

 

[Blooie]

Well sure! By the time I got done typing and posting my brilliant response it's already up there by faster folks than I am!

 

[Rhondakaine]

I appreciate the conversation posted above. My vet just told me to add it to their water. They wont drink it. They're free range so they just avoid their water and drink out of a puddle. To make things worse they're acting very distrustful of me when offer them food. I tried putting it in their food too. They've had symptoms of a respiratory infection since last friday, 6 days now, been trying to administer for 4 days. They're raspy and weak but still going out to range. I don't know if I'm confidant enough to put it in their mouth. Im afraid they'll aspirate.. I welcome any comments or suggestions. Thanks

 

[Sherryxander]

I love this thread, it is very informative. I have not been administiring properly. If they aspirate some of the liquid, will they be Ok? I have had a couple of chicks that look like they are "gasping" for breath. I'm afraid to give it again. Thank you for any input.

 

[Saaniya]

There's an easier way: Cradle her in your arm, pull the wattles down and her mouth will open. Dont let go if she struggles, she will tire. Use your free hand to grab the preloaded syringe and squirt no more than 1/2cc into her mouth and IMMEDIATELY let go of the wattles so's she can swallow the liquid on her own and not aspirate.

Can we pour the liquid drop on tounge