Scared to Give Hens Meds Orally

[Shanshan315]

Hi, I’m giving my flock dewormer this week by syringe. I’m nervous about it accidentally going down the trachea and drowning them. I read to aim to the left, but I’m still nervous. The trachea is right there.

Any other good tips or good videos?

 

[Shadrach]

I don't blame you. It is scary the first time and not all chickens are cooperative.
First, do you need to syringe the wormer?
Even pastes can be hidden in a grape for example.
Most liquids I soak up on small pieces of bread and feed by hand.
My experience is only those chickens that are point blank refusing to eat or drink need tube feeding.

 

[Red Horse]

I used a drinking straw to bore a hole thru the middle of a grape to administer paste and it works pretty well as long as they eat it in one bite! I just fit the end of the grape right over the tube and squeeze it right in.

 

[Shanshan315]

I used a drinking straw to bore a hole thru the middle of a grape to administer paste and it works pretty well as long as they eat it in one bite! I just fit the end of the grape right over the tube and squeeze it right in.

What kind of paste did you use?

 

[Shanshan315]

I don't blame you. It is scary the first time and not all chickens are cooperative.
First, do you need to syringe the wormer?
Even pastes can be hidden in a grape for example.
Most liquids I soak up on small pieces of bread and feed by hand.
My experience is only those chickens that are point blank refusing to eat or drink need tube feeding.

That’s a good idea! I might try the liquid in bread.

 

[Red Horse]

What kind of paste did you use?

It was miconazole for sour crop. I had read to give them a 1/2" strip of the cream so I chose grapes that were about that long and just filled them from end to end.