What medications/supplies should I have on hand?

[speckledhen]

Corid is concentrated amprolium, the same ingredient that is in medicated chick starter in a lower dose. (feed store employees are woefully uninformed about chickens so stick with BYC

) Amprolium is a thiamine blocker and that B vitamin is what the oocysts that cause cocci live on, so it starves them out and helps the chick build immunity. The dose in the starter is so low that many times, they get cocci anyway, hence, the Corid treatment.


IMPORTANT!! I see Bactine on the list--do NOT use anything with benzocaine or lidocaine in it as a pain killer! The "caine" pain killers can be fatal to birds! My Bactine has benzocaine in it so read the labels closely.

What you should not use is actually more important as what you need to keep on hand. I do not keep any antibiotics other than injectible penicillin for egg peritonitis or a bad wound, no Terramycin/Duramycin, nothing like that, just topical ointments for minor wounds.

Basically, I have alcohol, cotton balls, syringes, penicillin, antibiotic ointment, vetwrap, invermectin or Valbazen wormer, and Blue Kote. That's really about it. Not much else is needed since I will not treat respiratory illness (other than something like non contagious situational pneumonia). I use food grade Diatomaceous Earth for outside pests in nests and on the birds themselves.

 

[ChicKat]

Here is one that I don't want to be without:

Vet Rx Poultry

It comes in a yellow box with an orange band. Treats several poultry problems. There are directions in a sheet inside the box. Love the one where you put some Vet Rx under the wings and on the head....I think it works like Vicks Vapor Rub does on people --

 

[pippsqueak]

Quote:
I've used the apple cider vinegar a lot in the past 17 weeks I've had my chick-a-dees. I get the Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar with the "mother". I had issues with two of my chicks with their crops not emptying like they should and the combo of the vinegar on the water and plain yogurt fixed them really quickly plus I massaged their crops. It only takes like a 1/2 tsp- 1 tbsp depending on the size of your waterer. I sometimes just put it in there as a prevention too. Just as a warning that if you have a metal waterer it will rust it so put it in a plastic one or change water out often.

 

[Patricia Jane]

ACV, Braggs brand. Raw, unfiltered it has the mother in it. Helps with the overall health of the chicken, keeps algae from growing in the wateres. I use it and think it's great. 4 tbl per gal of water. Great for humans too. There is a list of meds/supplies somewhere on here. Put in a search and it should come up. I have quite a few on hand but luckily I haven't had to use any.

 

[tay_boe]

I have tylan. I had a wasp nest in my grow out pen and several chicks got stings and swollen faces before I found the nest, but tylan worked well. I was told if you ever bring a chicken home from an auction to give them a few doses of this. I haven't tried this but I also have a quarantine pen.

 

[Memphisjourney2seramas]

great info!!!!

 

[CityGal / CountryWorld]

I have a "neo-to go" the neosporin spray, for skittish chickens / comb wounds.
I also like to keep and use regularly Food Grade Diatamacious Earth "Diafil" (got it at my local feed store) Tractor Supply does not carry it and I keep it in a galvanized trash can, or other air tight container. I dust it into the nest boxes, and on the floor litter, sometimes I mix it with water to paint on roosts and things. you can also dust the chickens with it in case of lice or bug infestations. 1 50lb bag was $40 and has lasted almost a year. (still some left now)
some other things are good too... like

Popsicle sticks (splints for broken toes or wings or legs)
blue Kote (spray style)
I have Wazine (but don't use it b/c the bottle says not to use on laying hens)
General purpose lube (for egg-bound hens)
Penecillin (keep in fridge) & smallest needles and syringes from feed store

 

[CacklingCarolyn]

All of this info is awesome. Thanks everyone. I'm sure there will be more but I figure now I have a good start on a really good medical kit for my girls.

 

[Noelanidawn]

Thanks for the good info

 

[GodofPecking]

Honey

Iodine

I'm going to put up a post about my few weeks old chook, who I found had a wheat husk ? lodged in her eye the other day. Whenever I picked her up (I am presuming she is a she, but it's very presumptive of me) she'd use her inside eyelid (which humans do not have, think sharks or something) and her second eyelid would push it back inside.

Neither the chook or I could get the wheat husk out. So I wrapped her up, brought her and her companion inside and went fishing with my glasses and strong light. I found that it was bigger than I thought and when I finally got a hold of it it appeared to be hooked a bit, into her flesh in that soft part of the eye. Not good I thought. It came out, and she kept her eye closed. I thought of the possibility of infection, so I got out the freshest honey that I could find short of a hive and dipped a finger in. I aimed for her eye, pretty much got the upper lid, with a dribble down to the lower lid. She flinched and was noisy for 2 or three seconds and was then calm again, blinking it a bit and then leaving it closed.

Back in the cage the next day and day after that, her eye is fine. Possibly the lower lip around the eye is a tiny bit droopy on the first day, but oh, lots of the chooks have droopyish eyelips (what do you call it, is it the bottom eyelid? but it is not a lid)

Today she is 100%, but her behavior is a little bit more about her and her smaller companion staying indoors in their big packing crate box, rather than mixing it up with the adult flock as she looked forward to last week. I figure she'll be back to normal later in the week, rather than out just some of the time.

Honey is good to dab onto human wounds and ulcers too, there is plenty in the media about it.