how to give antibiotics?

[peaceful]

I have a three year old chicken with sour crop? ( see my post "chicken starving liquid crop") who is weak now and hasn't been eating. How do I give antibiotics and what do people recommend (I am not near town but there is a corner store nearby, or my husband could bring something back tonight)? She will not open her jaw for a dropper so far...

 

[chickenzoo]

Well you can try force feeding her some olive/corn/ oil to see if it will help or soaked pieces of bread in oilve oil. If she refuses to eat or it still won't go away then you would have to find a way to empty her crop..ie crop surgery or if it is very watery you might be able to pass a tube down her and drawl it out with a big syringe and soft plastic tube, about pencil width for a big breed. I don't think giving an antibiotic while the crop is still full is going to help, but perhaps someone else will chime in w/ more info.

 

[peaceful]

Thank you chickenzoo! Her crop isn't really full at all now (originally it was enlarged with liquid). Mostly empty with some liquid in it.

I do think it was/is? sour crop but I'm not sure of the cause (blockage? bacteria? virus? apparently sour crop can be caused by any of these). Which makes it harder to decide on treatment (antibiotics?). And she won't open her beak for a dropper, which makes it more challenging.

 

[MotherJean]

I suggest keeping her strength up as best you can with Pedialyte. If she's not drinking on her own, you'll need to use an eye dropper and give it to her a drop at a time so she doesn't choke. The sugars and electrolytes will help support her since she's not eating and ample fluids may help her crop to empty. I've seen it suggested that you give water with a little apple cider vinegar added (1 tbsp. per quart). So maybe switch between the Pedialyte and vinegar water. Whichever, it's important to keep her hydrated. Have you tried offering yogurt or cooked egg? Am assuming she has had access to grit? Any idea what caused the sour crop, i.e. did she eat bunch of fiberous greens like long grass or celery?

 

[peaceful]

Thanks MotherJean! I have tried almost all those things (we don't have pedialyte. Will try to find out what that is and get some).
She is a sick three year old hen (with sour crop? not eating, weak, light and bony, repeated liquid in crop, green diarrhea). I have tried isolation/rest, massaging crop, ACV/electrolytes/rescue remedy/tiny bit of GSE in water, and also offered her yogourt with garlic and porridge/yogourt plain/ applesauce/bread with olive oil/plain olive oil etc. (all of which she wouldn't eat?) and more... I feel no blockage but there may be something. (If there is blockage the only thing I can think of is corn cob?) She is worse today, weaker and weaker, althougth yesterday she ate some bugs when I took her over to the manure pile (she was refusing everything else and I thought something is better than nothing) although today her crop has refilled with fluid and she is miserable. She has had enough brightness in her eyes before that I haven't been willing to cull yet but it may come to that if she is suffering and I can't find anything. It's been days now.
I would like to understand who has had success with sour crop and how. The information I'm finding is so confused. Will try posting for info.
I would try pharmaceutical drugs at this point for her if I knew what/how. My husband could bring them back from town tonight if it is not too late for her. Any thoughts anyone?