Hi All - My Nellie had a lash-egg and I took her to the hospital where they kept her overnight and treated her with subcutaneous fluids, antibiotics, anti inflammatories and anti-fungal (even tho her fecal didn't detect any parasites). So...they sent here home with 3 medicines. 4 days of anti-fungal, 5 days of anti inflammatory, and 7 days 2 times daily of antibiotics. When she came home (I chose not to separate her from the flock because last time I did that with a hen, she was brutally attacked after coming back in - we just won't eat the eggs) of course the other girls ganged up on her the first night and pecked at her aggressively. Next day she was oky and integrated back in. But each day as I chase her around, corner her into the coop, pull her off her perch etc...and shove a syringe full of medicine down her crop - she seems more and more depressed and aloof. I get the sense she is just sick of being picked on as she gains back her strength. It seems like every time I put healthy treats in there, she doesn't want to eat them when am in the run because she fears I will grab her. I only have two more days on the antibiotic (she has been on them for 6 days total) and I am inclined to just stop. I don't think she will die of the infection at this point but I think if I keep wearing her down and stressing her, her immune system will be more vulnerable. I feel like two days more of this will stress her out to the point where she might stop eating and just hide in the coop. How bad is it if I quit the antibiotics now? Is it such an exact science that two days shy will make it all for naught? I really don't want to torture her anymore. It is breaking my heart. She is my favorite hen.
