When it comes to your flock, it’s better to be safe than sorry. It’s best to have helpful items on hand because you’ll never know when one of your chickens will get hurt or need medical attention. Luckily, you can find many useful items online or in stores to create your own first aid kit. Here are some common items you should consider adding to your first aid kit!
To Prevent Infection:
- Antimicrobial Poultry Spray
The first recommendation is a spray that can help heal your flock in a multitude of ways. For starters, it’s steroid and antibiotic free, which makes it a more natural way to heal. Antimicrobial spray can be used to treat frostbite, vent prolapses, bumble foot, pecking sores, minor abrasions, and more. It cleans the affected area in a painless way and is completely non-toxic in case one of your chickens tries to lick it off. When it comes to first aid, this is certainly a hot button item to have.
- Antibiotic Ointment
Common antibiotic ointments like Neosporin can be useful in some cases. It’s important not to apply antibiotic ointment any more than absolutely necessary because chickens can build tolerance to it just like humans. When used with caution, this is a good and painless way to prevent a wound from becoming infected. If you have the antimicrobial spray, we’d recommend using that first. But if you don’t, antibiotic ointment serves as a great alternative!
- Chlorhexidine Solution
Another way to prevent infection is by using chlorhexidine. It’s a powerful antiseptic that helps prevent contamination with bacteria. It can help treat bumble foot and other wounds with its triple antibiotic healing power. Because chlorhexidine works similarly to hyrdogen peroxide, it’s strong enough to harm the good bacteria too. So make sure to dilute this with water at a ratio of 1:1.
Other Important Supplies:
- Non-Stick Gauze
- Tweezers
- Dog Nail Clippers
- Disposable Gloves
- Eye Dropper Or Syringe
- Epsom Salt (for bumble foot)
- Popsicle Sticks (for homemade splints)
- Bandaging Tape
- Scissors
- Vitamins
- Electrolytes
- Flashlight & Batteries
- Probiotics
- Styptic Powder
- Diatomaceous Earth
- Saline
We hope you’re considering adding some or all of these items to your first aid kit for your flock. If an issue arises that seems more serious than a minor abrasion or cut, seek medical help as soon as you can! Having these essentials on hand will give you more time to act rather than run to the store during those critical moments. Protecting your flock is a duty assigned at your very first chick purchase, and it comes without a handbook. If you’ve taken the time to read this, give yourself a pat on the back because we think you’re doing a great job!