Fancy's Meds

Tractor Supply had meds for hens, about $6. I purchased them, but no one knew anything about how to dose one hen. She is taking tetracycline.

Made in the USA

How many of our for-human drugs can say that? This is for animal use only, FDA approved. I wonder if this could be used by humans in an emergency.

I called the company, Durvet, in Missouri, and the women with whom I talked were so friendly, helpful, and sympathetic. The directions are in mg/gal. There is a reason, amongst others that I did not want to be a nurse--conversions and solutions. I might just kill someone if my brain did not explode first. I can do conversions. But, I cried over solutions in Algebra in college. Okay, I cried in class during the final exam.

The woman at Durvet told me to use 1 Tbsp to 1 gal of water. So, I promptly put 1 T in a pint of water, about 8 times the strength she told me to use. I was just so nervous.

Fancy is still here in the house in her cage. She is still and quiet. I wrapped her in a towel and took the new syringe I had to go buy, the pint of meds, and her in a towel and went to the table outdoors to administer her med.

I made a pint and put half in the cup in her cage.

This is what is left now.

The overkill on meds might not be a bad thing. She resisted. Of course, I had her wrapped, so it took here a bit to finally free a leg that I promptly secured. I had to open her mouth with the left hand, and was holding her to my chest with the left arm. Then, I had to coordinate placing the syringe in her mouth and releasing a bit.

Holds 2.5 tsp

Of the first syringe, I am quite sure she got no more than a half teaspoonful down her throat. The rest ran down her feathers and then onto me. Some just rolled out of her mouth and onto my left hand. She flung it all over me sometimes. I talked to her, calling her by name and cooing to her like she was a baby.

The second syringeful seemed harder because I had to hold Fancy, hold the towel around her securely, turn the jar over and fill the syringe without spilling the contents of the jar. Next time, I will use a wide-mouth pint jar or half-pint jar. Whew!

With the third syringeful, she was hold still, opening her mouth to pant, and not fighting my syringe. I still wonder if she just gave up, panted in pain, and decided not to fight because she could not. Or, did she know I was trying to help her? She turned toward me, so I think she was willing for me to hep her.

She is in her house-pen now. A little while ago, I heard her pecking oats. It is the first time that I am aware that she ate any oats since I put them in on Sunday.

Later, I will give her more of the strong meds without diluting what I have left. Before bed, I will dose her again. Next time I give her meds today, I will give her plain water after the meds, using the syringe. She needs liquids. I think I will go get her some Gatorade for her electrolytes. Her poop just now consisted of clear water, nothing else. She likes safflower bird seed, so maybe a bit of that will convince her to eat.t

Do you know

Would this tetracycline be useful to preppers? The expiration date on the bag is 2016. Will it hurt a human? Can it be worse than the meds from abroad that are tainted? 

Your turn

Anyone, please, have you had experience with a hen with egg yolk peritonitis?