How to administer medication ?

[Boergoatlover]

Hello

I was hoping you may be able to advise me as to ways to medicate a chicken without syringing liquid into their mouths:

I have a beautiful ex battery hen called Hermione, she’s very sadly got heart failure. She’s been such a trooper and is still with us 6 months on from diagnoses (touch wood she’s got a lot longer with us) she’s on medication twice a day a tablet I crush with warm water and a liquid diuretic. I slowly syringe the medicine into her twice a day abs she’s very good at letting me do this.

The big issue I have is I have my honeymoon coming up and I’m going to be away from home. My family are looking after my hens and they are great at all husbandry but they understanbly do not feel comfortable in syringing her medication incase they do it wrong due to the danger of it going into the lungs. I’ve got myself into an absolute panic about what will happen when I’m away and wondered if anybody could suggest another way they could safely medicate her ?

I’m going for 5 days so she will have her medication on day 1 and day 5 and I was going to ask my parents to take her to the vet during that week for them do to the medicine, the only catch is it’s an hours drive away so they can’t take her everyday. So she will have two days needing medication.

I’m actually considering cancelling the trip as I’m so worried about her and any advice would be very much appreciated!!!

Thank you

 

[Callender Girl]

I recently had to give powdered medicine to my poultry. My most successful approach was to take some chicken treats (purchased from BYC member Weeg's store), moisten the top of the treat and dip it in the powder. Everybody ate everything every time.

When I have given liquids that the birds haven't liked (some, strangely, seem to LIKE the taste of dewormer), I have slowly syringed the med into grapes. All my birds believe grapes are the best treat of all.

I totally understand your reluctance to leave her without a good solution to getting her medicated. I hope someone can give you a solution that works for you and Hermione.

 

[Eggcessive]

If she likes certain treats, you might be able to get her to take them in a tiny bit of scrambled egg, cream cheese balls, or a bit of canned cat food pate. Most chickens can swallow a pill whole if you just open the beak, put it in the back of the throat, and close the beak.