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The Clucking Essentials: Building a Chicken First Aid Kit
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I’ve raised chickens for the past 10 years now and I’ve seen a little bit of everything. Respiratory infections, bloody combs, hawk attacks, sour crop, spurs caught in the fence, and everything in between. I definitely recommend having a small supply of various medicines in case of emergencies. You never know when your feathered babies will fall ill. And with chickens, it is often a race against time when they do. Here is a list of my main essentials
# 1 – VetRX
VetRx is an awesome addition to any supply stash. I learned something new about this the other day. I was helping a friend with her sick chicken and found it can be used in the eyes as well. It’s usually used for respiratory infections and it’s fairly similar to Vick’s VapoRub. Honestly, it kinda smells like it too. You warm it up – I usually make it a little warmer than luke warm. Not too hot but a temperature you’d be fine to take a bath in it. Place it under their wings, around their neck, under the neck, etc, and it is meant for them to inhale. You can also use it for scaly leg mites, roup, as a feather conditioner, and for eye worms! From what I’ve read the dosage is 1 teaspoon to 1 cup of warm water. I always triple check dosages before giving my chickens anything.
#2 – Bag Balm
Bag Balm is amazing. I had my little Buttercup get attacked by a hawk several years ago. Our beautiful German Shepard Sophia was the one to scare the hawk off and rescue our feathered baby. The hawk had mangled her up pretty bad. She had huge gashes on the shoulders, her comb was torn off, huge claw marks on her back and her feathers were plucked from the waist down. We stopped the bleeding, got her through the shock, and once she was in the clear we had to keep the wound clean. We used Bag Balm as a second skin and smeared it all over her body. It’s thick, gooey and sticky so everything will stick to it. But she stayed in a crate inside for several months recovering so she stayed reasonably clean. Our little buttercup healed perfectly with no infection and is a happy healthy sweet girl. She was about 2 years old when this happened and she just turned 8 this year, 2024. It is an antiseptic, and has antimicrobial properties. I absolutely swear by bag balm.
#3 – Syringes
Syringes are good to have to help give a sick bird water, liquid food supplement, or other similar liquids. You always have to be careful feeding a chicken this way. If done incorrectly you can cause them to aspirate. However, it can be a lifeline they desperately need. I always have a handful of syringes on me just in case. Small ones with no tip or a plastic tip are what you want for giving liquids.
#4 – Hydro-Hen or Sav-a-chick
Electrolytes are great for chickens to have in everyday life but particularly in hot weather. Pairing electrolytes with probiotics is a must for baby chicks. This will ensure they get all the nutrients they need to grow up big and strong. These are a great resource for sick chickens as well in case their body needs that extra boost. You can get the small packs Sav-A-Chick or I usually pick up a bag of Hydro-Hen.
#5 – Nutridrench
Nutridrench is an excellent boost for a sick chicken. It rapidly delivers vital nutrients, electrolytes, and vitamins into their blood stream. It bypasses the digestive system which could be the difference between life and death in some instances. It can be used to help treat illness, stress, and the effects of extreme heat.
#6 – Corn Starch
Corn starch is a pantry staple but it’s also great for chicken wounds! Occasionally things happen and one of my chickens randomly end up with a cut or some kind. When this happens I reach for my handy dandy corn starch! I put on a small amount to cover their wound and it helps stop the bleeding. After that you will still need to clean, disinfect, and wrap it for further protection as needed.
#7 – Meal worms
Chickens absolutely love meal worms. They’re a great source of protein and help if your feathered baby is being picky about their appetite. If you’re struggling to get a chicken to drink liquids try sprinkling some in their dish. They will soak up some of the water and your chickens will love the treat. I did this recently with some liquid antibiotics when one of my roosters got a respiratory infection. It worked amazingly.
#8 – Liquid Food Supplement
Liquid food supplements are amazing to have in a pinch. If your chicken is just not eating and they need to then this will do the trick. If they will drink it on their own, fabulous! Way easier and safer truly. Otherwise, you can definitely suck this stuff up in a syringe and carefully give it to your baby. Again, be extremely careful to avoid the possibility of aspiration. This stuff is packed with all the nutrients they need to replicate a meal. I generally use the brand called Kickin Chicken.
#9 – Honey
Honey is a true miracle worker. I love drinking honey with tea so we always have it in the house. But I like keeping some separate for my feathered babies. Honey has so many healing properties and it’s truly just all around healthy for your chickens. It’s great to use if you get a surprise visit from mites or lice since it contains iron. It’s also great in the summer months to help alleviate heat stress in your birds. It increases gut bacteria activity, immune support, and increases nutrient absorption. Honey is my go to for illnesses.
#10 – Vetericyn
Vetericyn is a wound cleaning spray that is non toxic and safe for all animals actually. We have used this for years to treat all sorts of wounds for our pets. I generally use it in combination with bag balm. This to initially clean and then add bag balm on top to seal the wound from any further bacteria. Depending on the wound, a good wrap can also do the trick. They have a wide range of other products as well including eye drops that are safe for chickens.
#11- Horse Wrap
Horse wrap is great to have around for various chicken injuries that need to be covered and kept clean. We have a young hen that has a leg injury. We created a make-shift knee brace for her using horse wrap, gauze, and long cardboard pieces. Always make sure you do not wrap it too tight or you could cut off blood circulation. Which would obviously create a bigger problem create a larger problem.
#12 – Gauze Wrap
Non stick gauze wrap is another essential for injuries that require some extra cleanliness. I usually combine bag balm or Vetericyn, gauze wrap, and horse wrap for a great wound treatment and infection prevention. Always make sure you do not wrap too tight. Otherwise, you could cut off blood circulation and create a larger problem.
#13- Tiaguard 12.5%
Tiaguard is a wonderful liquid antibiotic that is great for viral respiratory infections. This will not treat bacterial infections. I recently had a rooster come down with a nasty viral infection. I added this to his water for 10 days and he felt so much better. The dosage I found was 15 mL (3 teaspoons) per 1 gallon (16 US cups) for at least 5 days. He started to show real improvement on day 3. Apparently it is a good treatment for Mycoplasma as well. This is a medication originally intended for swine but it works wonders for chickens.
#14 – Oxbow Animal Health Critical Care
This is a great powdered food supplement that can help in a pinch. It’s very similar to the liquid food supplement I mentioned above. It can be added to water and make a paste-like mixture. It gives your feathered babies all the vitamins and nutrients they need for any missed meals.
#15 – Dog Crate
Having a dog crate around can be super convenient. It’s an easy way to isolate a sick or injured chicken. Give them some time to recover, some extra vitamins and nutrients, and then send them on their way. In a pinch, I have definitely used cardboard boxes, or even a plastic bin – without the lid of course. But the dog crates are foldable and easily stored! Who doesn’t love something that’s foldable!
#16 – Corid
Corid, can also be known as amprolium, is used to treat Coccidiosis. Coccidiosis is a parasitic infection that infects the intestines of a chicken. You add corid to their water and treatment usually lasts between 5 – 7 days.
#17 – Diatomaceous Earth
Diatomaceous Earth is great to have around to help control internal parasites. You can sprinkle it on the floor of their coops, in their nesting boxes, and their designated dirt bath areas. As long as it’s food grade then it can be sprinkled in their food and on their bodies as well. But you do want to avoid inhaling it.
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