This essential Chicken Wound First Aid Kit List will ensure you’re ready for common chicken illnesses and injuries. Chickens are prey animals, so they don’t tend to show symptoms until things get bad. Being prepared with a kit to intervene for your chicken will decrease the mortality rate in your flock.
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Chicken Wound First Aid Kit
Whether you are new to chicken keeping or an old pro, you’ve probably experienced a chicken illness or injury. Predators, parasites and bacteria will take out a healthy chicken quickly.
Because chickens don’t show symptoms until they are very sick, it’s important to treat them immediately when you notice an issue with your flock.
Having a chicken first aid kit on hand will help you to quickly treat your flock as soon as you notice an injury. More on treating poultry injuries in my article Keeping Chickens.
Disclaimer: I am not a veterinarian or a bird expert. I am simply a chicken keeper sharing my experiences with you. This article is for informational purposes only. You should always consult a veterinarian when you have a sick or injured animal. Please do your research on products and treatments when it comes to the health of your chickens.
Vetericyn
Vetericyn is a must-have when keeping chickens. It contains Hypochlorous Acid and is used to disinfect a wound and keep it clean. Chickens will get nasty wounds, and if infection sets in, it can quickly kill your birds.
To use this product, expose the wound on your bird by moving the feathers. Spray directly onto the wound. Depending on the severity of the wound, you may need to repeat the procedure twice a day.
If the wound is dirty, clean it well with soap and water and use this product afterward. While it does disinfect, you still want to remove any dirt and debris before using it.
There is no egg withdrawal time with this product.
Electrolytes
Chickens are prey animals so they don’t show illness immediately. When you notice something is off with your bird, it’s likely been brewing for a few days. Because of this, the bird probably hasn’t been eating and drinking properly.
I recently came home to find that my birds had been a victim of bullying by other hens. I isolated her immediately but by the following day, she was lethargic. Luckily, I gave her electrolytes immediately, and she perked up within a few hours.
Electrolytes can help the bird to recover by providing their body with essential nutrients they may not have gotten through their food.
Add the electrolyte powder to their water according to the package instructions. If your chicken isn’t drinking, try to give it to them with a syringe. Let the water run down the side of their beak. This will sometimes stimulate them to drink.
Hen Healer
Believe it or not, chickens are great at recognizing colors. Since they are omnivores, a bright red or bloody wound is especially enticing.
Not only is hen healer a protective ointment, but its blue color helps to deter other chickens from pecking at the wound. Chickens are not as attracted to blue color. An open wound on a chicken can lead to cannibalism.
After washing the wound, and applying Vetericyn, allow the wound to completely dry. Apply the hen healer to the wound to form a protective barrier, and keep the wound moist so it will heal faster.
There is no egg withdrawal time with this product.
Neosporin
Neosporin contains antibiotics which will help a wound heal faster. Make sure you are using Neosporin without painkillers in it as it is unsafe for chickens.
After you have thoroughly cleaned the wound, gently rub the Neosporin on it covering it entirely with a thin layer
If you are using Neosporin to treat an injury, it will not deter the other hens from pecking at the wound. Be sure to isolate the injured bird until the wound is healed.
There is no egg withdrawal period for Neosporin.
Vetrap
Vetrap is a self-adhesive wrap that can also apply slight pressure to the wound. For this reason, you need to be very careful about monitoring the bird’s circulation when using it.
I’m a registered nurse so the first time I ever used Vetrap I realized it’s the same as Coban. I’ve used Coban for years on human patients.
Vetrap is great for leg or foot injuries. It keeps the wound clean, while the bird is still mobile. It also protects the wound from being pecked by other birds.
Epson Salt
Epson salt is great for foot wounds such as bumble foot. Infections are manifested differently in chickens than in humans. Bumble foot is an example of that.
A small injury on the bird’s foot will develop a kernel or a solid piece of infection. The wound will not heal as long as the kernel is in place.
Soaking the injured foot in Epsom salt and warm water helps to loosen the kernel so it can easily be removed, and the bird will heal. After the kernel is removed, apply Neosporin and Vetrap the injured area.
Epson salt and warm water are also great for an injured chicken in distress. It will help soothe the bird and cleanse the site before treatment.
Other First-Aid Items To Have on Hand
While the above list is my must-have lifesaving items, there are plenty of other products I keep on hand to use in conjunction with the main treatment.
Other items that are great for chickens are:
Hydrogen peroxide– Great for cleaning out a dirty wound
–Fresh or dried oregano– Oregano is known to have antibiotic properties which are great for helping birds to heal. Crush fresh oregano leaves into the bird’s water, or add dried oregano to their food.
–Honey– Honey is naturally antibacterial, protects a wound from infection, and keeps the wound moist which promotes healing.
Several years ago, my daughter suffered a terrible burn. Honey was the only thing that made a difference in her wound healing. I’m a firm believer in it.
–Raw Apple Cider Vinegar– Apple cider vinegar added to the chicken’s water will act as a natural probiotic. This can boost the bird’s immune system and help them to heal and fight infection.
Steps for Treating a Chicken Wound
- Begin by cleaning your hands, and apply gloves. Applying gloves isn’t entirely necessary, but like I said before I’m a nurse and it’s just what I do.
- Clean any debris or dirt from the site using mild soap and water. A soft washcloth works great for this. Be careful not to scrub the site, or do any further damage.
- Gently pat the wound dry. If it is very dirty, you can use hydrogen peroxide before patting the wound dry.
- Spray the wound with a veterinarian and allow it to completely dry.
- Apply Neosporin, or hen healer to the wound and gently rub it in.
- Always remove an injured bird from the rest of the flock, and isolate them until they are healed. Getting a bird out of stressful situation, giving them electrolyte water and food, and allowing them to rest will greatly improve their body’s ability to heal.
Chicken Wound First Aid Kit List
Here is a condensed list of the necessities of a chicken wound first aid kit for treating wounds.
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