What Can Go Wrong When a Hen Is Drained?

[ClareScifi]

Vet said he could think of no vet that would give her an antibiotic injection at this stage, when she's so thin.

 

[Rugbygainz]

hello,
If you want to better the chances of her taking the antibiotic in, you could use nystatin to clear up her crop. Take the pills and crush them to powder, if they are capsules open them up. Mix this with something liquid and use a syringe to give it to her orally. If you do not know how to syring feed it is quite simple.
If she is friendly and easy to handle do the following,
Hold her gently and put your fingers in the corners of her beak and lightly push. She should open her mouth and you can then lightly put a bit at a time at the front of the beak just infron of the tongue. This will prevent her from getting it in her lungs. Do this right after making the mix as it will sure the antibiotic does not become ineffective.
If she fight it, put you thumb and index finger over her head and then on the corners of her mouth, if she resists do not let go and squirt it in. Have someone hold her so she cannot move backwards or put her on your lap with her butt facing your stomach so she cant back up. Even if it is difficult make sure you do not put too much in and always giver her time to swallow in between trials, this way she will not get it in her lungs.
Wish you and her recovery the best and hope this helps.
I was surprised to hear they gave you pills as that is very difficult to give a chicken.
I always get my antibiotics in liquid form.

 

[Rugbygainz]

 

[Rugbygainz]

I found this video, sorry for the long post above this seems to work and she is using the technique i described. You can also use this to give her things like yoghurt through a syringe.

 

[rebrascora]

Clare I'm so sorry things are not looking good. But there is still a tiny bit of hope by the sound of it, so do your best and we are all rooting for you both.

 

[LittlePip21]

I'll be praying for her to have relief, and that you'll have wisdom to know what to do. I would try and get her to play outside and move around if it's not too cold, it did wonders for my girl. Just do all the things you know will make her happy. I know this is so hard, having to go through this. But don't give up! i know they can tell when we care about them. My girl really liked grapes cut into pieces. Seemed a lot easier for her to swollow than when I gave her things like yogurt. My girl also loved when I gave her a pillow covered in a towel to lay on, it seemed to help with the pressure. Praying for you! Keep us posted

 

[ClareScifi]

The doctor told the vet tech that it would be very difficult to give the hen the pill today, when I asked for her to show me how. She was afraid of giving my hen aspiration pneumonia, she said. It really stressed my hen. I don't know why the vet didn't come and offer to help, himself, but I think he thought it would be too difficult. But if she's not digesting food, and I think her digestion has shut down, for the most part, what's the point of giving her antibiotics orally? I think it just stresses her (and me) out? Do you think it's true no vet would give her an antibiotic injection at this late stage? To make things worse, my hen who would turn 8 in March is suddenly ill, too. Yesterday she was fine, eating blueberries and running around. Today she's mopey, just like the other hen, tail down. I wonder whether something could have gone wrong with their care when I was away for 2 weeks last month? Moldy grain? I did find a shell-less egg in the coop today, along with 2 good eggs. I suspect my 7-year-old laid it. She's always been my best layer but is now getting old. Could laying a shell-less egg cause these symptoms? Could she be laying internally? She didn't want to come out of the run for the first time in her life, today, and she isn't hungry. I couldn't even entice her with meal worms or blueberries, although I did get her to eat a little bit of scratch. Her poop looked good, unlike the other hen's. She is sleeping on the floor of the coop tonight, instead of up on the nesting box where she usually does. I suspect there is going to be a double funeral of my 2 favorite girls, very soon. The days are getting longer, the weather is fairly warm for January, and the hormones are trying to kick in.

 

[ClareScifi]

The vet said they are limited as to what antibiotics they can prescribe chickens now. Baytril is no longer allowed.

 

[micstrachan]

Oh, I’m so sorry, Clare, that your girls are having trouble! Yes, I think internal laying could be the problem with your older hen. After a couple shell-less eggs, my girl fell very ill very quickly and had egg yolk peritonitis. Her reproductive system just suddenly went totally haywire. The second vet noted a crooked keel bone, as if it had been broken, so I wonder if she sustained some type of injury that damaged her shell gland. Anyway, I managed to administer oral antibiotics to her by crushing the pill between spoons and mixing the resulting powder with baby bird formula into a paste. I would pry open her beak by gently pulling down her wattles, swipe a little paste into the edge of her beak, and wait for her to swallow. When I first brought her in, the vet supplied some “ombivore critical care” feed powder to administer the meds, but it was prescription only. You could ask your vet about it. I switched to baby bird feed once I ran out. I am hoping for your girls!

 

[rebrascora]

Could laying a shell-less egg cause these symptoms?

Hi Clare

Yes, laying shell less eggs is really hard on hens and takes an awful lot out of them so that may be all that is wrong with her. Do they have plenty of crushed Oyster Shell available. Make sure you are not giving them too many treats as that can cause problems.... apparently spinach and kale can prevent them from absorbing calcium to utilise for strong egg shells, so if they have access to greens like that, cut them from their diet for now.

I understand the situation you are in with stressing yourself and the hen, trying to get medication into her that may not help anyway. I have cursed myself when I've struggled with a hen, trying to save her and she has died anyway and her last hours have been less than comfortable as a result of my efforts. Sometimes we have to accept that life is finite and we can't always fix them and perhaps the kindest thing we can do is help them to reach the end rather than trying to prolong the struggle. Those decisions are never easy and whatever you decide will be the right one, because you love and care for her.
As regards the Baytril, I'm not sure that vets "cannot" use/prescribe it for poultry but you might be required to sign a disclaimer to say that eggs and meat from the treated bird will not be consumed..... those would certainly not be an issue with this girl.

I am sending my thoughts and sympathies to you at this very difficult time. You have done so much to extend her life this far but maybe now is the time to let her go, as we all have to eventually.