How to give injections in birds.
Before you begin
Before you begin, have the following items right in front of you and at countertop or above level so that no bending is necessary once youre holding the bird (lets pretend the medication is already drawn into the syringe with the proper dose and there is no air bubble between the medication and the needle): the syringe, a bottle cap from the rubbing alcohol filled with alcohol, and a cotton ball soaking in the alcohol.
(This article is for the practice of giving injections addressing proper syringe size, proper needle size, drawing up medication, etc., will be addressed in a separate article.)
Lets assume the injection calls for IM, which means inject into the muscle, and that you are right-handed (reverse everything for left).
I give these injections in the breast muscle.
These are easy (I know, a relative term). Im going to give instructions for bantams youll need to modify slightly (for strength) for larger birds.
Use your left hand to slide it under Hannas belly to the point where you can firmly grasp both of her legs between two different sets of your fingers.
It is helpful to keep your right hand squarely on the top of her back while you do this.
Once securely in your left hand (youll know if shes secure if you can hold onto her with only your left hand by her legs even if she flaps her wings), bring your left arm in front of you so the bird is secure but your left arm looks like the same position you would hold it if in a sling.
Hannas head should be facing your elbow.
Using your right hand for support and guidance, gently roll Hanna toward your body until shes breast-up.
A slight angle away from you with part of her back against your belly instead of completely upside down is fine (and preferable), since you only need one side of the breast muscle.
Now secure her head (gently but firmly) under your elbow between your arm and body. This is to keep her from moving, and keeps her head out of harms way if she moves.
If done properly to this point, you should have full control over the bird (shes not suffocating) and your right hand should be completely free. The bird is not usually stressed because it feels secure against your body and wont fear falling.
Take the saturated cotton ball between your thumb and forefinger with your right hand and find Hannas breastbone with your little finger.
Once you locate the breastbone, use the cotton ball to saturate the feathers and breast skin just to one side of the breastbone (in the fleshy part).
The alcohol works to both sterilize the injection site on the skin, and to part the feathers and fluff quite nicely.
If you can see the skin clearly and the feathers are out of your way, then youve administered enough alcohol to the site.
Take the syringe in your right hand and insert the needle just into the breast area youve just sterilized (not too deep into the muscle, but also not just under the skin), and pull back ever so slightly on the plunger of the syringe.
If you have hit a vein, blood will come into the syringe and you will be able to see it.
If this happens, do not inject the medication simply pull the needle out slightly and try again until you dont get blood (hitting a vein is highly unlikely but this precaution should always be taken since most IM medications are not intended to go into the bloodstream directly).
Once youre confident that you did not hit a vein, simply push in the plunger to administer the medication into the breast muscle. Pull out the needle and put up safely. Youre done and you can simply put the bird down (or in Hanna the Hens case, back on the shelf).
If youre working with a dummy, a few practice sessions should prepare you for trying it on one of your real birds (if theyll let you catch them once theyve seen you practicing on Hanna).
This article was written by KJ Theodore
