What do you keep in your dual purpose chicken First-Aid kit?

[ColoradoChicken89]

Just curious what everyone else keeps in their chicken first-aid kit. I'm new to my personal chickens, and most of the experience I have is with meat chickens, so I didn't have to really deal with the same issues. I'm keeping egg chickens (that I'll turn into stock/stew when they start to get to older age)... So I'm looking for things that will help prevent the use of antibiotics and whatnot, while still giving good care. I live pretty far out from town, and sometimes getting to specific supplies can take awhile (or get lost) in the mail, so hoping to have what I can on hand.

Right now, I have some complex vitamin B, vitamin E, Calcium Citrate, vitamin D3, and fish oil. I would rather have the correct vitamins on hand just in case, so any extra suggestions would be helpful. I also have some epson salt just in case I need to soak something, and some sterlized bandage wrap, and some mineral oil.

I'm mostly just curious if there is any antibiotic spray/ointment people use/like that is gentle? Do any of you recommend to keep any dewormer and or tick/lice etc preventatives? I'm using sand that I can easily dump and get new (from a river nearby) and it's a pretty dry climate, so I'm hoping to not have issues, but not sure if I should still just assume they will eventually be there. [Our vets don't even recommend flea and tick mediations unless the dog/cat goes into town].

 

[Rose the Legbar]

I would highly suggest stocking up on dewormer (egg withdrawal no matter what) and either elector psp (no egg withdrawal but expensive) or permethrin (longer egg withdrawal but cheaper). Egg withdrawal is meaning a time where humans should not consume their eggs. Whist it is chemicals, there is almost no way to easily get rid of internal and external parasites without the use of chemicals.
It’s also pretty good to stock up on materials to treat bumblefoot as bumblefoot is quite annoyingly prevalent no matter how clean you keep things. It just happens.
The vitamins you have sound good to me. You could also get some nutri-drench as it has a mixture of vitamins to help perk up a droopy and sad looking chicken.

 

[Altairsky]

I keep, always ready:
-Corid
-sulfa
-a pigeon dewormer (can't remember the name)
-vitamin b complex syrup for human babies
- calcium + d3 tablets
- amoxicillin leftover from my dentist stuff
- Epsom salt
- I have a clorexidin disinfectant that I purchased by mistake ages ago but it apparently is good for chickens so I keep it for them.
- viks vaporub as deterrent for comb peckers.

 

[ColoradoChicken89]

I would highly suggest stocking up on dewormer (egg withdrawal no matter what) and either elector psp (no egg withdrawal but expensive) or permethrin (longer egg withdrawal but cheaper). Egg withdrawal is meaning a time where humans should not consume their eggs. Whist it is chemicals, there is almost no way to easily get rid of internal and external parasites without the use of chemicals.
It’s also pretty good to stock up on materials to treat bumblefoot as bumblefoot is quite annoyingly prevalent no matter how clean you keep things. It just happens.
The vitamins you have sound good to me. You could also get some nutri-drench as it has a mixture of vitamins to help perk up a droopy and sad looking chicken.

Ok perfect! Thanks for the advice! Yeah I planned on using some type of dewormer if it was needed, just wasn't sure the rules and what not surrounding eating. Though, this is a good place to start for some extra research on how long and whatnot, and a great place to start!

 

[ColoradoChicken89]

I keep, always ready:
-Corid
-sulfa
-a pigeon dewormer (can't remember the name)
-vitamin b complex syrup for human babies
- calcium + d3 tablets
- amoxicillin leftover from my dentist stuff
- Epsom salt
- I have a clorexidin disinfectant that I purchased by mistake ages ago but it apparently is good for chickens so I keep it for them.
- viks vaporub as deterrent for comb peckers.

Oh I woul dhave never thought about viks. I will def have to try the clorexidin disinfectant too. I don't want to sanatize too much, but sometimes just a little can help a sick chicken kinda get over the edge.

 

[Ecarroll]

All good suggestions here just want to add that blue cote is great for wounds to keep away pecking and help heal. Also electrolytes can be good to have on hand for super hot days, stressed chickens, baby chicks or sick chickens.

 

[Anon112]

Things that have proven really helpful:

Electrolytes and Probiotics (both Save-a-Chick)
Saline wound cleaner spray (easy to hold chicken with one hand and spray the wound with the can)
Vetricyn gel
Various sizes of bandage wrap
Neosporin without pain reliever
All the vitamins you listed
Vaseline
Elector PSP (a good reminder to order more of this!)
Betadine (to be diluted for a soak)
A container that a chicken can comfortably stand in for a soak (for me this is an old large saucepan)
An incubator (for warming up a chick who is in shock)
Towels that can be used for animals
Syringes (not with needles) of various sizes

And not a medication, but a medium sized dog crate that can easily accommodate two chickens.

 

[Ecarroll]

Things that have proven really helpful:

Electrolytes and Probiotics (both Save-a-Chick)
Saline wound cleaner spray (easy to hold chicken with one hand and spray the wound with the can)
Vetricyn gel
Various sizes of bandage wrap
Neosporin without pain reliever
All the vitamins you listed
Vaseline
Elector PSP (a good reminder to order more of this!)
Betadine (to be diluted for a soak)
A container that a chicken can comfortably stand in for a soak (for me this is an old large saucepan)
An incubator (for warming up a chick who is in shock)
Towels that can be used for animals
Syringes (not with needles) of various sizes

And not a medication, but a medium sized dog crate that can easily accommodate two chickens.

Definitely the dog crate! I forgot to add this to mine, also saline spray.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Just curious what everyone else keeps in their chicken first-aid kit. I'm new to my personal chickens, and most of the experience I have is with meat chickens, so I didn't have to really deal with the same issues. I'm keeping egg chickens (that I'll turn into stock/stew when they start to get to older age)... So I'm looking for things that will help prevent the use of antibiotics and whatnot, while still giving good care. I live pretty far out from town, and sometimes getting to specific supplies can take awhile (or get lost) in the mail, so hoping to have what I can on hand.

Right now, I have some complex vitamin B, vitamin E, Calcium Citrate, vitamin D3, and fish oil. I would rather have the correct vitamins on hand just in case, so any extra suggestions would be helpful. I also have some epson salt just in case I need to soak something, and some sterlized bandage wrap, and some mineral oil.

I'm mostly just curious if there is any antibiotic spray/ointment people use/like that is gentle? Do any of you recommend to keep any dewormer and or tick/lice etc preventatives? I'm using sand that I can easily dump and get new (from a river nearby) and it's a pretty dry climate, so I'm hoping to not have issues, but not sure if I should still just assume they will eventually be there. [Our vets don't even recommend flea and tick mediations unless the dog/cat goes into town].

You'll find as you go along what is needed and what is not.

I would suggest trying to purchase/acquire things as you go, some things we think we might need, we never do.
Medications expire, so do keep that in mind too.

As for a basic kit if keeping layers.

Calcium Citrate+D3 tablets (use in a short term crisis like having trouble with laying an egg or prolapse).

Other supplies like triple antibiotic and some type of antiseptic (chlorhexidine, povidone iodine, etc.) you may already have on hand in your household (people) kit. If you do, then use those. Just squirt a bit of ointment on a piece of paper plate or similar and use that so your original container stays clean. Same with your antiseptic. Pour a bit in a small container, etc. This way your original is clean for many more uses.

Saline can be used to clean wounds, eyes, etc. You can purchase it or just make your own. There are many recipes online that you can choose from - diy saline is just boiled water with salt, let cool, use and make fresh daily.

Electrolytes can be purchased, but they can get out of date or harden, etc. There are recipes for those too if you wish. Water, sugar, salt, baking soda. Make when you need it.

Coban/Vet Wrap/Sport Wrap - this can come in handy. I buy bulk from amazon, because the household uses it too.

Miscellaneous - scissors, tote or tub for cleaning, if possible, some type of cage/tote for separation or if you have room in your coop, have an area in mind to section off for a period of time.

Permethrin Poultry Spray or Dust - there is no withdrawal when using according to the manufacturer's instructions. It wouldn't hurt to have this on hand, but often you can readily find this in stores like TSC year round. Use the spray to treat the housing, dust to treat birds. I buy Permethrin10 concentrate and spray my coop at least
quarterly, sometimes extra in the warmer months. Dust birds only if they have lice or mites.

Elector PSP (Spinosad) can be used to treat housing/birds too. There is No Withdrawal Period when following the manufacturer's instructions.

Dewormers - buy when you need them.

There are 2 dewormers that treat Roundworms Only and go in the water - there is No Withdrawal for these 2 if manufacturer's instructions are followed. Aquasol and Laying Hen Wormout Solution.

For other types of worms besides Roundworms, but not Tapeworms Safeguard Goat Dewormer 10% or Valbazen can be used, there is a withdrawal period of 14days after the last treatment.

Antibiotics. That's a tough one. It will take time to get medication unless you have a vet that's willing to write a script. It would be up to you to determine if you want to keep something on hand and spend the $$ or not.

Enjoy your birds!

 

[ColoradoChicken89]

Thank you all for the amazing advice! This will all be really helpful. I'll look into all of this for sure. The brands and stores will really help me kinda price some of this stuff to see what I might wait for, and some idea of how long I have to withdraw or not.

I would suggest trying to purchase/acquire things as you go, some things we think we might need, we never do.
Medications expire, so do keep that in mind too.

This is kinda why I was curious, cause yeah... I might just carry some basic things on hand and just see if I use them, but I was worried about expiration of a lot of things.

It was a lot of the scissors and stuff I wasn't really thinking about... lol. Like it shoudl make sense, but I just spaced it. I have TONS of bandages and stuff, we scrape ourselves up pretty good, but we tend to get the "pain relief" neosporin! So I'll look into maybe getting some non... cause I don't really have a preffered, but my niece sure does LOL.

And as for the antibiotics, I'm not TOO worried about that. I tend to never have any one hand, but I've already kinda talked ot my vet about the chickens. She doesn't really "see" chickens, but she said she could easily get me a prescription if it's really needed without an official appointment so long as it's something I can just sign a waver for (like antibiotics) me to administer it myself.