A few questions

[needlessjunk]

So I have a few questions and would love some input.

1. Does anyone use pine pellets for bedding? Right now we are using shaving and grass hay. The hay was free otherwise I wouldn't be using it. It's working well, no complaints but I was thinking shavings and pellets would be next.

2. I'm putting together a first aid kit. What should I have in there. I have blu-kote and electrolytes. Oh and I have vet tape floating around somewhere. Any other must haves for an emergency?

3. How long should I hold out hope for a female "quack"? Mine at just over 7 weeks and they make all sorts of noises. Everything from a chicken squawking to peeping. Mainly it's more raspy. I just really hope one is a girl and with my luck I know it will be 2 boys and I'll have to figure out what I want to do since I will be getting chickens in the spring. I find it very annoying that all the feed stores only sell straight runs.

 

[Quackers Mama]

For the first aid kit I was told this:

My ducks come and go and quite often damage their feet on rocks and blackberry thorns. Even jumping down and landing hard on the pad can start it off.
My first aid box is extensive as horses are always getting into trouble . The poultry part has
1. Terramycin spray
2. Amprolium
3. Safeguard
4. Avian vitamin pack
5. Epsom salts
6. Chlorsig eye drops
7. Vet wrap
8. Activated coal tabs
9. Broad spectrum water soluable oral antibiotic
10. Vicks vapor rub.
11. Lice and mite spray and sulphur powder to sprinkle the coop.
12. Virkon disinfectant spray.
Of course I add things when required but that is my ' base' kit.
On this site you can purchase the Terramycin ointment . Remember that it is a cattle product , when you are searching. I hear a lot of folk on this site recommending vetericyne which is also available on this site. The neosporin will do for now.

http://www.jefferspet.com/categories/cattle/health-wellness/eye-ear-care-1

Vicks is awesome ! We smear it around the nostrils of new calves to prevent bot flies laying their eggs in the sinus cavity. Never seen fleas on the ducks , but have seen a tick on a duck. Add pure tea tree oil to that list. Just a dab on the ticks butt will make him let go.

Terramycin antibiotic spray is for pinkeye. I use it on all open wounds on all our animals. The one I have is blue spray and the cetrigen is also a wound spray for livestock , without the antibiotics. It's pink.

http://www.littlevalleypoultry.com/Terramycin Pinkeye spray

A ' must have ' in the first aid box.

 

[needlessjunk]

For the first aid kit I was told this:

Thanks, should I return the blu kote then?

 

[veronicasmom]

If the blue kote is the bottle with the dauber, I'd keep it. The other stuff is a spray and there are some spots you won't want to spray near. So the dauber bottle works well.

 

[needlessjunk]

If the blue kote is the bottle with the dauber, I'd keep it.  The other stuff is a spray and there are some spots you won't want to spray near.  So the dauber bottle works well.

It's the spray bottle stuff. Thanks, return it for something else. Is there one that is more multipurpose than the others or something I need more than the others. I'm going I have to buy stuff one at a time.