Can you give human (or dog) antibiotics to chickens?

[Contolini6]

We have a pullet who has been sick for a while with what we think is a respiratory infection. She stopped making noise about a month ago, and started craning her head forward with her beak open a lot, which kind of looks like she's struggling to breathe. She has a good appetite though, and is eating and drinking plenty, which is why we've just kind of let her be for a while, hoping it would resolve itself. But we are starting to think she needs some help from meds, and was wondering if we could give her human (or dog) antibiotics, in lieu of paying a lot of money to go to the vet so they can prescribe "chicken antibiotics" (is that even a thing?)

If you know about this sort of thing and could give advice, that would be great

 

[Pyxis]

I would avoid giving human or canine meds to a bird without making sure they're safe for birds to take and also determining the correct dose.

However, this might not be a respiratory disease at all - the motion you describe her making sounds like gaping, something that occurs when a bird is infected with gapeworm, so she may well actually have gapeworm. I'd try treating for those before doling out antibiotics.

@casportpony Kathy, I forget the proper treatment for gapeworm, can you help?