Challenge Giving Pill to Hen

[BunnyChickenMomma]

Hello, All!

My hen, Sage, was recently diagnosed with a bacterial infection. She got a prescription for an antibiotic that I need to give her twice a day for two weeks. She is our gentlest, most skiddish hen whom we call our little lady because she is such a dainty eater. Food doesn't motivate her the same way it does our other girls, even on the best days. I've tried everything: coating the pills in butter (vet recommendation), crushing them up in yogurt, with mashed bananas, with mealworms, cracked corn, and mixed with her food as mush. I've separated her from her sisters and given her time to eat the food on her own and also tried to hand feed her. I was finally forced to hold her, force open her beak, and pop the pill in. She spit it out twice, but on the third time she swallowed it.

I feel awful. She clearly hates it. I hold her under my arm, make sure her wings are secure and support her feet, and she is generally calm after I get her settled. But I know this is stressful for her and I will have to keep doing this for another week-and-a-half. Does anyone have any suggestions for making it easier? Or am I doing the right thing? Anything I haven't tried?

Thank you!

 

[calicocows]

most likely, you will have to continue that. I know with pigeons, if you push the pill in with your finger past the glottis, they can't spit it out. Another option may be to ask for a liquid version and a syringe? That can be easier to maneuver and get in their mouth, although I'm unsure if it would work with birds as opposed to mammals.

 

[Hanathehappyhen]

You’ll probably have to keep forcing it down. If you hold her beak closed after putting the pill in she’ll swallow it quicker. A little snack afterwards will cheer her up.

 

[BunnyChickenMomma]

You’ll probably have to keep forcing it down. If you hold her beak closed after putting the pill in she’ll swallow it quicker. A little snack afterwards will cheer her up.

That's a great idea. Thank you.

 

[SchwartzLakeFarmNC]

You could try to carve out a grape and slip it in, our girls will swallow a grape whole and love them, it's our way to getting it down the hatch if we have problems getting a large pill to be taken. There are a few good videos on this site too that show how to handle your bird for oral medications, it won't hurt to view those for ideas as well. Good luck and hope your bird recovers very soon.

 

[Eggcessive]

Most people just pop a pill into the back of the beak and they swallow it. Others put pills into peanut butter, cream cheese, weiners or liverwurst/liver cheese. I have good luck with scramble egg.

 

[Sally PB]

If getting her beak open is a challenge, gently pull on her wattles, and she'll open wide. Pop the pill in. Follow with her favorite treat, as someone suggested.

I had to dose one of my pullets for 10 days, twice a day. Fortunately, she began taking the pill from my palm.

I still need to dose her with calcium. I've cut those pills into quarters, and put some peanut butter on them. My problem now is that ALL the chickens like them! So it's a bit of a trick to get them just to this bird.

Good luck!