What to keep on hand?

[jnjmanning]

I just hatched 11 chicks. All mixed breeds and a lovely motely crew. My question is.......Wormers, what is best to keep on hand and when do I start worming? Antibiotics, what is best to keep on hand? I want to be prepared. I have read so much about when a bird gets sick it happens so quickly. Any and all suggestions welcomed!

 

[terryg]

I have a chicken medicine cabinet post here:

http://hencam.com/henblog/2011/08/3698/

As far as wormers - I don't do it routinely. If I suspect a problem, I get a fecal done at the vets and make sure I'm addressing a real issue. So far, I've never had to worm. (I do manage the manure carefully - I've blogs about that, too, - and provide food-grade DE in dust bathing areas.)

 

[Jane1234]

-I keep some vaseline in case they get scaley leg mite.
-I also keep a syringe, hand rearing food and tube to feed food direct into their crop if they get sick. (You need to learn how to do
this from a vet though and be careful to ensure the tube has reached their crop and not gone down into their lungs as this would cause pneumonia)
-I keep worming tablets and worm them every 6 months.
-I also keep a mite powder to powder them every 6 months or if you see mites/lice just powder them.
-Some vitamins to add to their water is a good idea for an added boost
- Probiotic powder can help when you are using antibiotics to help digestion
- Analgesic/antiseptic cream

 

[fishnet1971]

Neosporin WITHOUT pain relief in it (no 'cain products)
Vet wrap
tiny scissors
Nail clippers
nutri drench
syringe
Tylan 50

and the rest of Terry G's list is great!

 

[jnjmanning]

Is DE safe for all animals? My hens are free range and their favorite place to dust is in the dog pen that we use on rare occasions when we have to be gone and want our dogs secure.

 

[jnjmanning]

And how much DE to use??? Ughhh I have tons of questions! Children were less stress....lol

 

[Nicole01]

I keep probios/boric acid(in freezer), vetwrap, Vasoline, antibiotics(penicillin and amoxicillian), antibiotic ointment, food grade DE, Oxine ah, Sevin, polyvisol vitamins, gloves, face mask, kitty litter scooper with old ice cream pail. I also keep Sulmet and Corid(for coccidiosis and other conditions). I'll soon be adding a wormer as well.

For food I have layer feed, sunflower seeds, cracked corn and alfalfa seeds. I'll be putting in an order for oats and wheat soon from a local mill to feed straight and sprout. I sprout all winter long.

I probably go overboard, but I really take Chicken keeping as a hobby/egg production. I'd like to raise meat in the future. Our farm store sells meaties through out the summer. I will free range the meaties and process them at 8-12 weeks of age.

 

[terryg]

Only food-grade diatomaceous earth is safe. The regular agricultural DE, used for pest and slug control, is very sharp and can shred chickens' tissues. I have more about it here:
http://hencam.com/henblog/2010/05/of-lice-and-hens/

 

[Jane1234]

Hi Nicole01, what do you use penicillin for? I own duplocillin but for my rabbits and it works well for respiratory conditions.

 

[Nicole01]

I use fish mox and fish flex. Believe it or not, it's the same antibiotics given to us from the pharmacy in generic form. I saw this when I looked at my own prescription.lol. I buy from entirely pets.