Help!! Cocci - How do I get her to open her beak to drink the meds????

[memechick]

Help!! I have a 12 week old Blue Cochin who seemed happy and healthy two days ago... yesterday I noticed her staying to herself ...I had someone tell me to treat for Cocci with Corid ... nothing was open last night for me to get it .... this morning I was able to buy some to treat her and she had deteriorated ... won't come out of the coop ... lethargic, listless ...... looks like she just wants to sleep. She won't drink the meds ...I put some in an eye dropper but she won't open her beak. She has no waddles so I can't pull them down to open her mouth. I tried putting some on the side of her beak ... she moved her beak a few times so I think she got some. Is there some other way for me to get this solution into her?? I'm scared.

 

[ChickensRDinos]

When ever I have to give meds I use a syringe (not the needle kind but the squirting kind). I sit crossed legged on the ground and tuck the chicken into my body so that she is secured between my side, my arm and my thigh - nice and firm and supported but unable to move. I am now holding her tight but still have use of both my hands.

I wrap one hand around her head gentle but firm and use my thumb nail to get between her beak and force it open. As soon as it opens, I put the edge of my thumb along the side of her mouth so that she can not close it. (So, the palm of my hand is behind her head, my thumb is in her mouth and my other fingers hold her head in place.) You gotta stay calm and work quickly.

Use my other hand to then squirt the meds into her throat. Make sure you do not do too much at once so she can breath.

I hope that made sense lol.

 

[memechick]

That worked ...... but I was only able to get about 1cc into her. She does not hold her head up any more ....... she is lying on her side. Am I too late? Is there anything else I can do for her? How often should I try to get more drops into her beak?

 

[ChickensRDinos]

I have not personally dealt with Cocci so I do not know the dosing. I am posting to bump up your thread. Hopefully someone else will know.

 

[cafarmgirl]

Unfortunately it may be too late to save her. However, you can safely double the strength of the Corid and keep hand feeding it too her every hour or so, or as often as you are available to treat her, all day. If this is coccidiosis that is your only hope of saving her. Sorry you are having this problem, I lost a favorite hen to it last spring, it really snuck up on me and I didn't figure it out in time.

If she does manage to pull through then, after a full 5 to 7 day course of Corid put her on a vitamin supplement and give her probiotic's as well. Good luck.

 

[featherz]

It's actually very easy to tube feed a chicken. You use aquarium tubing from the local pet store, attach it to a syringe, and place the tubing down the big hole you can see at the back of the throat. Unlike humans, it's really hard to put the tube in the wrong place. You'd measure the tubing out to about mid crop first. It's much safer than syringe feeding as they CAN'T aspirate.
I give credit to Peter Brown, the chicken doc, for giving multiple lessons 'on-air' on how this is done if needed.

 

[memechick]

Thanks everyone .... sadly Lilly passed on this afternoon. I cried till it hurt. I have 4 others in that coop ..... I also have a second flock of four that are 21 weeks old ...... they free range. I had to separate the two groups because of size difference ... was going to integrate them when the 12 weeks old got bigger. Should I treat both flocks with the Corid? I stripped all the bedding and replaced with new.

 

[tiki244]

Yes I would treat them all. So sorry to hear about your loss

 

[ChickensRDinos]

I'm really sorry. All the best to you and the rest of your birds.