Help! How to give pills

[caymusjordan]

We need to give Chips three pills every 12 hours. Last night I cut the larger ones in half and stuffed them into peas...I thought it went OK. This morning, Chips spit out at least 3 of the 4 1/2's of antibiotic, I assume I got the other in her since I didn't see it come out.

Does anyone know a better way to give pills to ducks? She is not the best about being held, I don't want to stress her too much either.

 

[Wolfefarmyard]

I would dissolve the antibiotics into water and then syringe feed it to them.

I’ve done this once before and it worked.

If it’s a tablet, crush it up and then mix it with a bit of water or if it’s a capsule, empty it into some water and then syringe it into his mouth.

Good luck!

 

[casportpony]

The way that works best for me is to give them orally. Mine don't like being held either, but for me I would rather be 100% sure they get the medication, so that is how I do it. I think @Miss Lydia says that wrapping them in a towel helps keep them still and calm.

Here is a thread with pictures and videos:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/how-to-give-pills-to-ducks.1246505/#post-19998436

 

[slordaz]

you can always crush the pill your going to give her and then dip it in like a chunk of watermelon but you'd have to get her by herself or the others would want to take it , I usually ask for liquid version if possible for my chickens

 

[Miss Lydia]

When I had to give my Runner her antibiotic pills I had to learn real
Fast how. Actually once you get the hang of it it’s pretty easy. I wrapped her in a towel and sat down an held her between my knees so I could have both hands to open her bill once I got the bill open I slipped it down on the left side facing her actually her right side.

 

[Popcorntheduck]

My duck was on antibiotics 2 pills, 2x a day for 2 weeks! I broke the pills up into 1/4s, the peas worked well for a bit, and worked best when they were slightly frozen and I would drop them into his water. But he became wise to the pills and got picky with that, so then I switched to grape tomatoes which was a real game changer! I cut them in 1/2 and then stuffed the pill in the little natural pocket of the tomato and he would gobble them up He was also on a liquid metacam, and I would squirt that into the tomatoes too which worked well.
My vet gave me a piller like shared above but I knew he would hate me if I constantly tried to stick him with the piller so I found an alternative that made med time fun! For him anyways, it was a huge pain for me

 

[KaleIAm]

Have you found a solution for giving Chips her medication easier?

I also use grape tomatoes. I have a special method of cutting them to make them into a tomato pill pocket. As long as my duck is well enough to eat they gobble up their "tomato medicine" and the only challenge is to keep the other ducks from eating it.

If they aren't well enough to eat I squat and hold them with my knees/thighs. I hold their head with one hand and poke their medicine down the side of their throat as quickly as possible. (I always trim my nails first) They don't like it, but it is just one moment of their day and may save their life.

I had an avian vet tech once tell me to lubricate tablets with edible oil, like olive or flax, to help it slide down easier. So I dab a small drop on the end of the tablet first.

 

[Runner duck mom]

They also make pill injectors for dogs/ cats that would probably work. They are thinner than a pencil and a good diameter for duck mouths.
https://www.chewy.com/vetone-pet-pi...iwqZquw6D9DlKmzoH3Pgdq4hIPCAp7hAaAkApEALw_wcB

 

[casportpony]

They also make pill injectors for dogs/ cats that would probably work. They are thinner than a pencil and a good diameter for duck mouths.
https://www.chewy.com/vetone-pet-pi...iwqZquw6D9DlKmzoH3Pgdq4hIPCAp7hAaAkApEALw_wcB

That could work very well!

 

[Miss Lydia]

I don’t have small hands and that antibiotic my Runner was taking was pretty good size. I use the needless 1 ml syringes to give liquid meds. Is this one about that size? Only problem I’ve had so far was giving baby aspirin they are so tiny it’s Nerve wracking making sure my hand holds onto the pill long enough to get it in the right hole. So that might work great for those tiny baby aspirin.