First aid kit for poultry

[dianer29]

BYC ER'S: Iam setting up my poultry first aid kit this week. As an initial start,I would like possibly the following items included in it unless I decide thru input that the item(s) are not needed and or safe or perhaps their is an equal to or better substitution : blood stop powder (although not sure where to purhase it and how and when to have to use it)Betadine,hot pick.vet wrap(any particuar size,also how and when to use it),sponge gauze (size or get various sizes.Anti pick(is hot pick same thing?)
I am not 100 percent convinced that I need to worm them. (currently have chopped fine garlic in cooked brown rice daily,acv in their water supply,chicken parfait ,which will be 2 times aweek which consists of organic plain yogurt ,crushed Cheerios,organic raspberries chopped. They do not like the plain by itself and toss it around like a toddler tosses a veggie they do not care for(lol). I will be slowly introducing healthy treats and utilize such as a treat not main food. They are on organic chick starter and 2 months old today.Small amount of banana will be provided to keep the diaherra at bay.Meal worms a couple times a week(on order).
I will not be buying an additives or vitamins for them now or later when they start to lay. They will get oyster shells when they reach layer age. I would appreciate if my fellow BYCERS would provide their valuable input. Thank you

 

[easttxchick]

I keep electrolytes, PolyViSol(without iron), antibiotics, Corid, Sulmet, Vaseline, Vicks, Vet Wrap, Vet RX, Blood Stop Powder, Blu Kote, Hot Pick, Wormer and Lice and Mite(dust and spray).

I just want to have what I need in case I have a chicken emergency on the weekend and the feed store is closed.

As far as worming goes, I do not worm unless needed.

Sounds like you have a pretty good start on your first aid kit.

 

[dianer29]

easttxchick: What are the following items used for as how/where to purchase?
Corid,Vetrx,Sulmet? I know what electrolytes are used for ,however when to use it,where to get it? Is it self explanatory (doseage), or do you wait for an aviary vets advice should you be lucky to have one? The polyVisol (without iron) is it the liquid and when and amount to dispense?
I know the Blu Kote stains . Is it used for same purpose as hot pick or is hot pick used for injuries and not a preventative applied med? Thank you !

 

[Barrett Farm]

Storage is an issue for me. I try to limit what I keep on hand because I can't store it all. Plus I have found when I buy something special for an animal it usually is used once, for that emergency, and it sits, and gets old then I have to discard it.

I have some electrolyte formula that is so old that I doubt it works. I find my Emergency C drinks work great for a vitamin boost. Some vitamins can build up too much vitamins in the body so using both the electrolytes and Poly (baby vitamin drops) may be too much. I would limit to one or the other. If you use Emergency C drinks which are very reasonable at Trader Joe's, it is a nice treat in their water.

The blood stop is found at your feed shop, smaller bottles at pet stores. I just bought a big new container, the previous one I bought for my dogs back in the 1990s was finally too used and old. Our feed store had a large bottle for $6 that was economical for farm use. Ask for Blood Stop Powder by AgriPharm, used in cattle, horses, sheep and swine.

One thing all my first aid kits, even the ones in our cars contain is a tube of Crazy Glue. Great in a pinch when you can't apply a butterfly bandage or you don't quite need stitches.

I keep gauze rolls for treating bumblefoot and I use duct tape to keep it dry and protected. I cut the duct tape in strips. Sometimes I use the vet wrap between the layers so the hen has traction on the roosting bar. But the duct tape keeps my hen's feet clean so they heal faster.

Epsom salts are something that is in the house and used out with the animals as well.

I would recommend you make a great first aid kit for your home or car, just for people, and pull from that so your supplies are refreshed. If you live in earthquake country (CA) it is a must.

 

[NYREDS]

Fred Jeffery wrote a book on poultry diseases. He said his poultry first aid kit consisted of louse powder, a coccidiostat & a hatchet. He advocated breeding for disease resistance. I copied my first aid kit after his & I don't remember the last time I had a sick bird. It seems to me from reading posts on this subject that the people who advocate keeping a big pharmacy seem to have the most problems with sick chickens. To me it seems obvious: if you breed from chickens that tend to be ill you produce more chickens that tend to be ill. If yoy breed from chickens that tend to be healthy you produce chickens that tend to be healthy.