Pain Relief for our Feathered Friends

How can we make sure our hens don’t suffer?  How do we know our hens our in pain and what can we give them to ease their suffering?  

Hens hide their pain and illness so you need to be vigilant and know all your hens strengths and weaknesses.  I often get calls from distressed hen parents saying their hen became very ill overnight, or one day they were fine and the next day they had died.  They have most likely been ill for some time but they hide their symptoms until it’s too late to help them.  So doing a regular hen flock check and knowing what symptoms of pain are will help you treat them earlier.   

When a hen is in pain you’ll notice one or some of these things:
* Their position in the pecking order drops.
* They go to bed earlier or stay in later in the morning.
* They don’t socialise with other hens, tending to be more alone
* Eating and/or drinking less

*Change in the comb.  Paler in colour or maybe even too ‘hot’ red.  drooping comb or spot changes on the comb (dark patches)

*Other obvious illness signs such as not walking properly, diarrhoea, swollen abdomen, breathing difficulties etc

What can we give to our hen friends when we know they are in pain?  If you are concerned or unsure, it’s always best to take your hen to a vet, one experienced with birds.  Always do your own research so you feel comfortable in the treatment you are giving your hens.  Here are the 3 things I use for pain relief and always keep in my fridge or cupboard.  

1)  MELOXICAM.  Is a non steroidal anti-inflammatory treatment typically used for dogs but can be used for any animal.  Loxicom is another brand name however the constituent is Meloxicom (1.5mg Meloxicam/ml).  It provides analgesia for acute and chronic muscle or skeletal pain and inflammation.  Because I look after more than 60 hens in the hen hospital I keep a bottle in the fridge at all times.  Keeping it in the fridge ensures the constant temperature of less than 25 degrees celcius.  The bottle has a very long expiry date however it does say to only use for 6 months once it has been opened.  You need to get a prescription from your vet.  Follow the vets recommendation.  For my hens (based on 2kg weight) they get 0.2ml initially, then 0.1ml twice daily (squirted down their throat with the provided syringe).   If the pain (or reason for the pain) has not been resolved in 4 days, continue for 6 more days only (10 days in total).  If pain still persists, then it’s time to consider giving your hen Cannabis Oil (as can be given ongoing) and/or a visit to your vet.  

2)  ASPIRIN.  dilute 1 baby aspirin (80mg) or 1/4 normal aspirin (325mg)  into 900ml water.  Allow the unwell hens to drink liberally over 3 days while they are unwell.  If the hen isn’t drinking you can syringe the water down their throat – for this I would mix 1/2 baby aspirin with 450ml water and syringe as much of this down the hens throat each day that it can take, without creating more stress.  While you can continue to give Aspirin to your hen for 3 days, don’t give it to them ongoing as it can damage their gastro intestinal tract and thins the blood so can increase bleeding.  If after 3 days your hen is still in pain, consider Cannabis Oil, Meloxicam or a visit to your vet for more advice.  

3)  CANNABIS OIL.  I’ve saved the best till last!  Cannabis Oil is safe for all animals.  I give 1 to 2 drops morning and night for hens I know are in pain.  You can put it straight down their throat or drop onto a favourite piece of food they might like, such as a piece of boiled egg or soft bread.  Cannabis Oil can be given to hens ongoing.  When one of my hospital hens is in palliative care (about to die) I increase the drops (3 to 5 drops) so they can leave in peace. 

My personal preference for pain relief is Cannabis Oil.  I have found it relieves the pain and does not require vet costs for a prescription so is more economical and can be used ongoing.  For most of my hens in our hen hospital, they can need cannabis oil for months, while they get well or move into paliative care and need pain relief until they pass on. 

Keep some pain relief for your hens in your hen first aid kit and spend time with them so you can recognise the signs of pain in your flock.  It’s the least and best we can do for them. 

Here’s to all our feathered friends living a pain free natural life with us. xxJ