How to orally medicate your chickens?

[Buffbrahmabantam]

What is the best way to force a hen to take powdered medicine? I’m thinking of mixing it with water and then I could use a dropper but how do I get her to open her bill?

I’ve medicated my chickens for various things over the years by mixing medicines in food (ricotta cheese always works for me) but in this case I’m giving a hen Medistatin for sour crop. One post said it’s important not to mix with food because Medistatin needs to be in direct contact with the crop.

 

[Eggcessive]

Medistatin is mixed in water and given with a dropper or syringe. I believe it is mixed 1 gram in 20 ml of water. Let me look up the exact dosage.

 

[Eggcessive]

Here is a good thread with dosage:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/medistatin-nystatin-dose.1211995/

 

[LaFleche]

What is the best way to force a hen to take powdered medicine? I’m thinking of mixing it with water and then I could use a dropper but how do I get her to open her bill?

I’ve medicated my chickens for various things over the years by mixing medicines in food (ricotta cheese always works for me) but in this case I’m giving a hen Medistatin for sour crop. One post said it’s important not to mix with food because Medistatin needs to be in direct contact with the crop.

Here you go:

Article 'Safely Administering Oral Medications to All Poultry and Waterfowl'
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...dications-to-all-poultry-and-waterfowl.73335/

 

[Buffbrahmabantam]

Here you go:

Article 'Safely Administering Oral Medications to All Poultry and Waterfowl'
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...dications-to-all-poultry-and-waterfowl.73335/

This helps a lot. Thank you. We were able to dose her this afternoon following these instructions with some squirming on the hen’s part but I’m sure we will get better with practice.

 

[LaFleche]

This helps a lot. Thank you. We were able to dose her this afternoon following these instructions with some squirming on the hen’s part but I’m sure we will get better with practice.

You can bundle her up in a towel to stop the squirming and wing flapping. They are much easier to handle wrapped up like a burrito with just the head sticking out.