Chicken First Aid Kit ~ What You Need

It’s a good idea to have a chicken first aid kit on hand. Illness and injury always seem to happen after hours. Having a few things on hand can be life-saving.

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What should you have in your chicken first aid kit?

Here are the items I think are important:

Vetericyn Poultry spray – used to clean wounds and treat infections. Unfortunately, we have used this a lot. With wounds, I initial clean with Hydrogen Peroxide but follow up with this. The spray bottle is amazing! You can get it right where it’s needed.

Sav-A-Chick Electrolytes – similar to Pedialyte for children or Gatorade; helps to aid in hydration during illness, extremely hot weather, or shock from an injury. Pay close attention to the expiration date. I notice it tends to expire pretty quickly. It’s fairly inexpensive but you can also find recipes to make your own on Pinterest.

Nutri-Drench – exactly what it sounds like – nutrient supplement; Give to chickens showing any signs of illness.

Vet Rx – works like Vicks to help relieve nasal and respiratory congestion or wheezing (and a million other things if you asked my Grandmother). Add a few drops to the chicken’s water or apply under their wing.

Vaseline – many uses! I suggest getting a large tub if you don’t already have one. Used to treat scaly leg mites, can also be put on comb and wattles to prevent frostbite and apply to vent if your hen is egg bound.

Prid drawing salve – your Grandmother probably used this for splinters or boils. In chickens, it’s used to treat Bumblefoot, a staph infection.

Corid – treat coccidiosis

Blu-Kote is an antiseptic used to treat abrasions and surface wounds – not deep, open wounds (I’ve heard it burns); it also dyes the skin blue so other birds won’t peck at it. Use caution when applying, your chicken won’t be the only thing blue.

Poultry Protector – natural spray used to treat lice, mites, and ticks

Tylan 50 – a broad-spectrum antibiotic used to treat respiratory disease, pneumonia, and Mycoplasma Gallisepticum

Latex Gloves  – use whenever handling a sick chicken

Nonstick sterile 4×4 pads

Small scissors

Vetrap – used to hold pads in place; won’t stick to feathers

Here’s a list of things equally important to add to your chicken first aid kit. You may already have these items or could purchase them at a 24-hour store in an emergency:

Preparation H generic (regular without pain relief) – use in case of prolapse vent; helps reduce swelling of tissue

Saline Solution – washing or cleaning eyes or flushing out wounds

Cornstarch – works great to stop bleeding

Non-Coated Aspirin – pain reliever; mix 5 in a gallon of water

Neosporin or triple antibiotic ointment – used to treat wounds or bumblefoot

Medicine dropper

Epsom Salt – used to treat bumblefoot and egg bound

Rubbing alcohol – disinfect areas or surgical tools

Hydrogen Peroxide – use initially for wound cleaning; mix with water to use half-strength

Iodine – apply to wounds and lesions to sterilize and fight bacteria

SuperGlue Gel– for a broken beak

Dog nail clippers  – trimming beaks or nails

KY Jelly – for prolapse vent

Tums – calcium supplement – crush up and give if your hen is laying soft shell eggs

In addition to these items, you will also need an isolation area or “sick bay” for your bird. Illness spreads quickly in a flock. If you have a sick bird, quarantine immediately to protect the rest of your flock from getting sick. Ours is our garden tub in our master bathroom.

Cleaning your coop regularly is important for your chicken’s health and well-being and especially important after any illness. Check out my blog on the steps I take to keep my coop clean.

Chickens, like children, can’t tell you when they’re sick or hurt.

They are actually experts at hiding any illness. So, here are some common signs to look for:

• Pale comb
• Abnormal poop
• Lethargy or fatigue
• Loss of weight
• Decrease in eggs
• Respiratory symptoms, runny nose, sneezing, wheezing
• Withdrawal – hiding and not hanging out with the other chickens

You will also want to quarantine if your bird is injured. Chickens will attack and peck injured birds (sometimes to death). We use an old guinea pig cage which really limits their movement and as our girls improve, we upgrade to a dog crate.

Our girls had Fowl Pox last week which is what prompted me to write this blog. You can read my post here to learn more about the signs, symptoms, and how we treated them.

When we first got our chicks, I purchased a few items each week, slowly building up our chicken first aid kit. I couldn’t afford to purchase everything at once so I prioritized based on the severity of the illness or injury.

Recently, I went into a Dollar Tree and found lots of items I could purchase for $1.

Chickens have their own set of problems and illnesses and having a chicken first aid kit on hand is a good idea. When time is of the essence, you don’t want to be searching for medicine and supplies.

If you have to deal with an open wound, be sure and read my blog on wound care.

A great resource is the Chick Health Handbook by Gail Damerow

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