Egg Binding Cures: Making sure I tried everything

[624444]

Don't place too much significance on the poop appearance. Behavior will be a better guide.

Poop can give us small clues in itself, such as if it's very watery with green chunks in it, very watery, brown and very smelly, very watery and mostly clear, or very scant and small. But as long as a hen is behaving normally, even these poop signs can be nothing more than a transient phenomenon.

A chicken that has lost a lot of weight will quickly regain it once they recover. A few months ago, I thought I had a two-year old Golden sex-link that was about to die. Her comb went so pale it looked like spoiled lunch meat, and she became so emaciated, I doubt she weighed even a pound, just skin and bones. She recovered and is now back to her fighting weight of around four pounds. It didn't take her long once she got her appetite back.

I have another hen currently that is normally petite, and she's now in the process of regaining her appetite and weight. As your hen becomes stronger, her appetite will gradually improve, and the weight will come back on. But you can get her headed in the right direction with special feedings of tofu, egg, fish, and other high protein foods. Poultry Nutri-drench is an important aid in getting a hen's strength to return, as well.

Okay thanks so much @azygous

Your story about saving your hen helps me feel like my hen has a fighting chance of getting better!

This hen, I just noticed, the outline and ridge of her comb is pale…..I had a hen, a while ago, diagnosed with egg Peritonitis and her comb and wattles went almost white, she sadly died..

Last question

I can only order the Baytril, which may take a week maximum to arrive….Is there any other antibiotic for chickens which is also good, that I might be able to get today or sooner?

I don’t think these antibiotics would be good….

 

[azygous]

You don't need to keep a lot of different antibiotics on hand, a broad spectrum antibiotic will be sufficient. I go to another antibiotic from there if it appears the current one is not producing results. My go-to antibiotic is amoxicillin which is broadly available online without a prescription unless you are a California resident.

Tailoring an antibiotic to a specific bacteria can be done, but it requires knowing what bacteria you are trying to target and whether it's gram positive or gram negative. Then you would search for an antibiotic that targets either of those types of bacteria. That can sometimes be a very effective way of getting a chicken to recover that isn't responding to a broad spectrum med.

 

[624444]

You don't need to keep a lot of different antibiotics on hand, a broad spectrum antibiotic will be sufficient. I go to another antibiotic from there if it appears the current one is not producing results. My go-to antibiotic is amoxicillin which is broadly available online without a prescription unless you are a California resident.

Tailoring an antibiotic to a specific bacteria can be done, but it requires knowing what bacteria you are trying to target and whether it's gram positive or gram negative. Then you would search for an antibiotic that targets either of those types of bacteria. That can sometimes be a very effective way of getting a chicken to recover that isn't responding to a broad spectrum med.

Okay that makes sense.

I don’t believe there is a specific amoxicillin branded for poultry…

Can I get any form of amoxicillin at any mg? Then administer correctly?

Such as….

 

[azygous]

Amoxy is amoxy. I've used leftover human amoxy prescriptions as well as purchased fish amoxy. The dosage is what's important to get right, which is 250mg per day for seven to ten days.

 

[624444]

Amoxy is amoxy. I've used leftover human amoxy prescriptions as well as purchased fish amoxy. The dosage is what's important to get right, which is 250mg per day for seven to ten days.

Okay thank you so, so much!! You’ve been a big help @azygous

I wanted to treat my hen immediately, instead of waiting a week or so, for the medications to arrive.

If I can’t get the amoxy, I can get this penicillin…. Is this safe to use??

 

[azygous]

Yes. It's in the same drug catagory as amoxy.

 

[624444]

Yes. It's in the same drug catagory as amoxy.

Okay great! You are such a life saver @azygous !!!

These are officially the last questions lol

I am going to use a needle and inject the penicillin, NOT give it orally correct?

What would a good dosage be, per pound?

How long should I treat? 5 days?

 

[azygous]

Here is @Eggcessive 's recommendations for penicillin. She's one of our dependable sources here. She will correct this if not right, I trust.


"There are some links by Natalie Ross that state that dosage is 0.1 ml for any size chicken once a day for 4 days. Others insist on giving more, and since procaine penicillin fairly safe, it is frequently recommended to give 1/4 to 1/2 ml daily. But 1/10 or 0.1 ml will work. It should be given into a muscle 1/4 inch."

Give the injection into the breast muscle as there is less chance of hitting a vein there. But vary the injection site each time.

 

[624444]

Here is @Eggcessive 's recommendations for penicillin. She's one of our dependable sources here. She will correct this if not right, I trust.


"There are some links by Natalie Ross that state that dosage is 0.1 ml for any size chicken once a day for 4 days. Others insist on giving more, and since procaine penicillin fairly safe, it is frequently recommended to give 1/4 to 1/2 ml daily. But 1/10 or 0.1 ml will work. It should be given into a muscle 1/4 inch."

Give the injection into the breast muscle as there is less chance of hitting a vein there. But vary the injection site each time.

Thank again for everything @azygous!!

I will administer the penicillin for four days at the dose recommended by @Eggcessive

Have a great week, and thank you so much for taking the time to help me talk this problem out!!

 

[Eggcessive]

Amoxicillin is fairly easy to get in a few feed stores or online. Look for Aqua-Mox or Fish Mox. Dosage is 125-250 mg given orally every 12 hours. It is a lot easier than giving injections, and amoxicillin is better for bacteria that might be resistant to penicillin G.