i can’t get Stella to take her medicine

[ChickenMama1988]

Stella had to take a trip to the vet. There was no kernel in her infected foot and she needs to take antibiotics but i can not get her to take it!! She won’t let me open her mouth, i soaked it onto bread and she ate a little and refused the rest. I even scooped the center of blueberries (her favorite) and injected them with the meds, she ate it last night but this morning refused even a regular blueberry!! She obviously hate the meds .. idk how to get her to take it!! Help!!!

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Have one person hold her and keep her mother open while yhe other puts the soaked bread in her mouth

 

[DLA]

gently pinch the wattles between your fingers and pull down, mouth will open, insert medicine. she'll swallow it when you let go.

 

[ChickenMama1988]

Have one person hold her and keep her mother open while yhe other puts the soaked bread in her mouth

we tried that!! she shakes her head uncontrollable if one of us tries to open her mouth .. and she’s a very docile bird, she layed on my lap for 45 minutes while we worked on her foot no problem .. but she won’t let us near her mouth

 

[ChickenMama1988]

gently pinch the wattles between your fingers and pull down, mouth will open, insert medicine. she'll swallow it when you let go.

it doesn’t work .. she shakes her head so hard i can’t even get syringe near her mouth .. we tried for 30 minutes and jsut spilled an entire dose everywhere

 

[ManueB]

I mix disgusting meds in mackerel or sardines, because they have a strong taste and smell. It works with most of my chickens. You need to put a very tiny amount of it so she doesn't have the time to realize it tastes gross.

 

[Justagalwithchicks]

Stella had to take a trip to the vet. There was no kernel in her infected foot and she needs to take antibiotics but i can not get her to take it!! She won’t let me open her mouth, i soaked it onto bread and she ate a little and refused the rest. I even scooped the center of blueberries (her favorite) and injected them with the meds, she ate it last night but this morning refused even a regular blueberry!! She obviously hate the meds .. idk how to get her to take it!! Help!!!

I couldn't get my hen to take hers so I took thick Greek yogurt size of pea mixed it with it into little ball and then topped with a meal worm. She was leary at first because I had tried to make her take some but no chocken can resist mealworms. My hen is also very loving and likes to be held but fights taking medicine. Good luck!

 

[DLA]

it doesn’t work .. she shakes her head so hard i can’t even get syringe near her mouth .. we tried for 30 minutes and jsut spilled an entire dose everywhere

have one person hold her, the other person gets ahold of the wattles and pull down, the beak has to open. you may have to apply some pressure to keep ahold of the wattles and pull down to get the beak to open. squart that medicine in the open mouth and let go she will have to swallow it. i've used this with giving pills and liquid wormer. timing is important, you won't be able to hold the beak open long before she might start struggling. wrapping her in a towel and holding her might help.

 

[Saveria]

it doesn’t work .. she shakes her head so hard i can’t even get syringe near her mouth .. we tried for 30 minutes and jsut spilled an entire dose everywhere

If there are two of you and you wrap her in a towel, one of you can hold her mouth open and her head steady at the same time. Have that person hold her like a football, their arms wrapped around her and the towel, then they'll have two hands for her head and mouth. I also just wait till they stop struggling, you kind of have to show them that they can't get out of it by wiggling around, sadly.

If it is liquid medicine you want it to slide down the side of their throat so they don't choke, like this.