Medicine Cabinet

[HowIsItDone]

Hi everyone.

I'm new here.
So new that I don't have a coop or chickens, yet, which is why I want to plan so hard.
You experienced owners will laugh at me I'm sure, but like a chick low on the pecking order, I don't mind.

I'm going to need a chicken Medicine Cabinet.
Has anyone posted a thread about what should always be kept on hand?

Bookmarking everything here, lol.

 

[Debbie292d]

Hi everyone.

I'm new here.
So new that I don't have a coop or chickens, yet, which is why I want to plan so hard.
You experienced owners will laugh at me I'm sure, but like a chick low on the pecking order, I don't mind.

I'm going to need a chicken Medicine Cabinet.
Has anyone posted a thread about what should always be kept on hand?

Bookmarking everything here, lol.

I've seen one, but did not like it because they put so much in it that would expire well before used, and may never even be needed, like antibiotics, Corid, etc. I will tell you what is important for baby chicks to have on hand, then my silkies who are prone to being vitamin deficient.

Chicks:
Nutra Drench - vitamins
Hydro-Hen - probiotics and electrolytes
Vet wrap - in case one has splayed legs or if a chicken gets injured.
Sterile gauze - good to have on hand for humans too.


Chickens:

Poultry Cell - vitamins - once a week or two in their water
Hydro-Hen
Vetericyn - for in case of a wound.


If they get sick, you'd just run to your local TSC or similar to get what they need, but the point of what I have is so they do NOT get sick.

In 8 years, with the exception of buying Ivermectin for SLM (scaley leg mites), this is all we've ever needed.

 

[HowIsItDone]

I've seen one, but did not like it because they put so much in it that would expire well before used, and may never even be needed, like antibiotics, Corid, etc. I will tell you what is important for baby chicks to have on hand, then my silkies who are prone to being vitamin deficient.

Chicks:
Nutra Drench - vitamins
Hydro-Hen - probiotics and electrolytes
Vet wrap - in case one has splayed legs or if a chicken gets injured.
Sterile gauze - good to have on hand for humans too.


Chickens:

Poultry Cell - vitamins - once a week or two in their water
Hydro-Hen
Vetericyn - for in case of a wound.


If they get sick, you'd just run to your local TSC or similar to get what they need, but the point of what I have is so they do NOT get sick.

In 8 years, with the exception of buying Ivermectin for SLM (scaley leg mites), this is all we've ever needed.

Thanks for your reply.
Bookmarked.

 

[alinas2010]

I’m super thankful to have a few antibiotics on hand b/c it gives me peace of mind, but I agree with @Debbie292d, they’ll probably expire before I ever use them. Having our girls for 2 years now and haven’t needed them.

I will say, for adult laying hens, I recommend having some calcium plus D3 tablets on hand for laying issues. That and neosporin is what I’ve used most out of anything in our first aid kit.

 

[Smokerbill]

I considered getting a few chicken medical supplies together a year ago when I first got my chickens, but decided to just buy things as I needed them. And in a year I haven't needed anything for them other than some syringes so I could tube feed olive oil into an impacted crop.

The only other problem was a ripped, bleeding comb, which I treated with my personal stash of antibiotic salve.

I'm guessing that all the medications and supplements have an expiration date. If you buy a bunch of stuff ahead of time to be prepared for problems, the products might be old and ineffective.

Just my opinion...

 

[HowIsItDone]

Hi everyone.

I'm new here.
So new that I don't have a coop or chickens, yet, which is why I want to plan so hard.
You experienced owners will laugh at me I'm sure, but like a chick low on the pecking order, I don't mind.

I'm going to need a chicken Medicine Cabinet.
Has anyone posted a thread about what should always be kept on hand?

Bookmarking everything here, lol.

Can I ask another dumb question?

How does one "make" a chicken take oil, or anything else? Do you grab them, hold their head, and force it down?

 

[alinas2010]

I’ve given ours frozen chunks of coconut oil for crop issues, they usually eat it willingly. I’ve also soaked a bit of bread in olive oil for something stuck in the throat, they gladly ate that, too. I’d be afraid to try to syringe anything liquid into my chickens mouths because I wouldn’t want them to aspirate, but I wouldn’t be opposed to putting a few drops on the edge of the beak to let the chicken drink it in that way.

Edit to add, people do tube feeding and watering, though, as noted above. Using tubing and syringes, they gently guide tubing into the crop and give whatever is needed that way. I’ve never done it, but it doesn’t seem too awfully hard and I wouldn’t hesitate if I knew my chicken needed it.

 

[Eggcessive]

You may want to read the emergency forum for some time each day, and you will pick up a lot of information on supplies. I have thrown out a lot of medications that have gone unused and expired over the years. I would learn what to use for baby chicks, and then find out where to get things you need. Poultry Cell and NutriDrench are 2 rescue tonics with vitamins, electrolytes, and amino acids. Get one of them, and the only difference is that Poultry Cell has riboflavin/vitamin B 2 for leg and foot problems. So that is what I would get. If you don’t get that, but Poultry NutriDrench, it can be good to keep human B complex vitamins around. You can give the rescue tonic 2-3 drops daily orally. B complex can be cut in two or fourths and crushed. Into food or water.

Use age appropriate chicken feed. Chicken get starter grower until they are around 20 weeks or start laying. When chicks are on grass, or foods other than chicken fee, get poultry grit for their age. They will need chick grit separate from feed when small and Poultry grit when about 12 weeks old. When they start laying, layer feed is given around 20 weeks, and also provide crushed oyster shell in separate container.

Have some basic first aid supplies, such as saline, Vetericyn or other wound spray, or chlorhexidene. Do not use hydrogen peroxide. An antibiotic ointment such as plain Neosporin is good for wounds. Good luck with your chickens.

PS. Do not get chicks or started chickens from swap meets, sales, or unknown people. I don’t get them from anyone but hatcheries or feed stores, so I don’t bring home a disease.

 

[SourRoses]

Why would anyone laugh at you? Why would a necessary question like how to administer oral medicine be "dumb"?
Keep in mind, we are all chicken keepers here. All of us have had to learn these things sometime. And many keepers go years before needing to learn something very specific, and have to ask after they are considered experts. So no more feeling silly over what is necessary, k?

What I like to keep on hand:
- An isolation crate (dog crates work well)
- Corid (Amprolium)
- Probios (a brand of probiotic powder which has been tested to remain viable)
- Calcium + Vit D tablets
- Vit B complex with high levels of B1.
- Basic antibiotics. When we get sick, we save back a pill or two for the chicken first aid kit. It requires a bit of research to dose correctly, but with the help of a calculator, 1 pill can go a long way. Others buy fish antibiotics online (same thing). Amoxicillin and Metronidazole are two important ones.
- Vetericyn is a very good wound cleaner.
- Female yeast infection cream (for crop issues).

I don't worry so much about expiration dates. If a medicine is stored well (dark, not hot or freezing), the useful life is longer than whatever is printed. Companies have to be extremely careful with humans. With chickens it can be so hard to even get the medicine that it's better to have something than nothing.

 

[HowIsItDone]

Can I ask another dumb question?

How does one "make" a chicken take oil, or anything else? Do you grab them, hold their head, and force it down?

Why would anyone laugh at you? Why would a necessary question like how to administer oral medicine be "dumb"?
Keep in mind, we are all chicken keepers here. All of us have had to learn these things sometime. And many keepers go years before needing to learn something very specific, and have to ask after they are considered experts. So no more feeling silly over what is necessary, k?

What I like to keep on hand:
- An isolation crate (dog crates work well)
- Corid (Amprolium)
- Probios (a brand of probiotic powder which has been tested to remain viable)
- Calcium + Vit D tablets
- Vit B complex with high levels of B1.
- Basic antibiotics. When we get sick, we save back a pill or two for the chicken first aid kit. It requires a bit of research to dose correctly, but with the help of a calculator, 1 pill can go a long way. Others buy fish antibiotics online (same thing). Amoxicillin and Metronidazole are two important ones.
- Vetericyn is a very good wound cleaner.
- Female yeast infection cream (for crop issues).

I don't worry so much about expiration dates. If a medicine is stored well (dark, not hot or freezing), the useful life is longer than whatever is printed. Companies have to be extremely careful with humans. With chickens it can be so hard to even get the medicine that it's better to have something than nothing.

Great list!

Thank you to all who answered my posts.