Must haves

[bluer78]

What is the most important item you make sure you have on hand at all times and what is it used for?
Other than the most obvious food/treats/water/bedding.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Towels and cardboard boxes

 

[Lady Clucks-a-Lot]

I was looking through a lot of the emergency threads, and many of them were recommended to use calcium citrate, amoxicillin, probiotics, and antibiotics. This could be wrong, but it’s what I saw.

 

[Lady Clucks-a-Lot]

Also heat lamp and tube feeder.

 

[FunClucks]

What is the most important item you make sure you have on hand at all times and what is it used for?
Other than the most obvious food/treats/water/bedding.

An isolation cage set up in the covered run that can double as a broody breaker and a stash of basic medicine. Never know when you'll need either.

 

[Isadora]

An isolation cage set up in the covered run that can double as a broody breaker and a stash of basic medicine. Never know when you'll need either.

That would be what I would pick.

 

[saysfaa]

A flashlight for checking things at night. I don't have electricity out there but if I did, I would still use a flashlight for most things because it disturbs them less and can see predators/wildlife around the coop better.

 

[Matejka]

I always have a old towel and my metal rake or a hoe within hand reach. After dealing with an aggressive timber rattler, and a mean rooster, with nothing handy at hand, I've learned to keep something handy.

 

[HollyWoozle]

An isolation cage set up in the covered run that can double as a broody breaker and a stash of basic medicine. Never know when you'll need either.

I agree! We have one and it is so useful! It depends on the size of your space as to how you set it up, but it’s invaluable. Our chooks live in a shed and their run is an orchard - we then have a separate small coop with joined run within the orchard (right up against the shed) and we call it the ‘hospital coop’. Then we always have this safe space for broody or injured chickens readily available but they are in sight of the flock all day and feel that they are sleeping near to the others at night as well.

It isn’t suitable if you think there’s something contagious going on of course, but works great for most other issues.

 

[Mrs. K]

A second coop....it was years - but OH do I love having the option.