My last older hen showed up with a drooping comb, slightly purple, and lethargic yesterday, was fine before that. I brought her in yesterday and treated her for worms, a common culprit here. Worming the whole flock. This morning she is wheezing a bit so I suspect an infection. I have soluble Tet HCA on hand, but since she's not drinking much can I inject it? I don't want to go to the expense of a vet bill, or buy more stuff. She's eating yogurt with wormer, but is really droopy. I'm going to keep her inside the rest of the day. I could also mix some with applesauce later and try that? Any suggestions??? Thanks, she's a real sweetheart so I hope to pull her through...
I don't think you can inject a water medication--it just isn't meant to work that way. An injectable antibiotic like Tylan50 would be preferable, but if you don't want to buy more stuff, you have to get her to drink some of the antibiotic water. Will she eat anything besides yogurt? You could soak pieces of bread in water, mix water in with her regular feed (to create a kind of mash--chickens usually love this), or try water mixed with yogurt/applesauce. If she won't eat, I would try using an eyedropper/needleless syringe to squirt water into her mouth. This does create a slight chance of aspirating, but she needs the water. Good luck with her.
I got her to eat some soft bread this morning, then some yogurt with wormer. I can her some watery applesauce with the Tetroxy, which she ate. I washed her bum for good measure I'll bring her in later and repeat and focus more on the antibiotics. She seemed a little perked up. I just don't want her to get more dehydrated...
She's much better!!! I've been giving her diluted, homemade applesauce with Tetroxy, after she was wormed. This morning she is much perkier, tails up, alert. I brought her in again, she 's been out since it's mild, and she gobbled up her sauce. Combs still a bit down, but I did get her bum a washing yesterday, so that's ok...