Oral antibiotic aspiration

[Carolrich]

@Carolrich, sounds like you got it figured out, but you might find some helpful tips here:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...dications-to-all-poultry-and-waterfowl.73335/

Great article. I just realised I said the syringe the vet gave me was 5 cc. I meant to say 3cc. But imho, this is too big.

 

[casportpony]

Great article. I just realised I said the syringe the vet gave me was 5 cc. I meant to say 3cc. But imho, this is too big.

Even 3 is too big. I might use one if I'm dose a huge pea, duck, or turkey, but I really prefer the smaller ones.

 

[Col1948]

Carol, you don't have to mix it with yogurt it was just an idea, you could try something else like porridge or...

 

[Kathy Golla]

I feel your pain. Or rather my hens feel your pain. I feel like I have become an unwilling expert at this. Wish I wasnt!
I personally use a 3 cc syringe cause I feel its easier to control the plunger. My hens also on average get 2.2 ccs. One cc syringe to me personally seems jenky, hard to control. But 1 cc might totally work for you. Remember if the syringe gets sticky you can use some olive or coconut oil to lube the plunger.
Ive learned with trial and error that my best practice is to go very slow. Depending on the hen, I dribble a little down the right side of the mouth, or I start at the tip of the beak, or I switch off. It takes about 5 applications, but the result is my hen isnt dead from aspiration. Dont shoot it down their mouth. If they think they are going to aspirate, they will panic.
Ive gotten some meds down their airhole a couple of times and its quite scary. Scary enough Ive just said, its worth it to take my time.
The vet tech gave me some words I always think of..."imagine having to do this with a parakeet, its one drop at a time."
My husband absolutely at first was a novice at holding chickens. With practice hes become great at it. I catch the chicken in the pen, hand it to him, he wraps the hen in a towel folded in half, making like a burrito.
One important thing Ive learned is to try to hold the hen (pressure on) from the hind end vs the front, because the front is the crop and am and pm (when dosing) there is usually something in the crop and pinching the crop upwards while holding the hen is almost as big of an aspiration risk as the meds. Plus its hard for them to breathe if you put too much pressure on their front.
It really is much easier with two people, I would recommend revisiting having your husband help. He wont get good at it if he doesnt practice, and hopefully less chance of aspiration with two people.