One of the last things most people think about when it comes to keeping chickens and poultry in general is the emergency/med box. I realize not everyone has a medical mindset like we do at our place. Me being a paramedic, and my wife being an RN… we definitely think about “worst case”. This is a quick post to tell people what is in our emergency box and why. I’m going to limit it to the top 4 things I have to have at all times. Of course there are other things that would be helpful, but as I was dealing with a hurt hen it occurred to me that there are only 4 things I really, really use.

**It is important to note, I am not a veterinarian, and this is not veterinarian advice. If you need a DVM, please seek one.**

Parasites….

Ivermectin Pour-On. From mites to worms to ticks and fleas, ivermectin is the answer to all these ailments. To make it even more awesome, it is extremely affordable. One small bottle of ivermectin pour-on can last you years with poultry. It only takes a few drops directly on the skin to do the trick. Large chickens typically get 3-4 drops, bantams get 2 drops.

Some things you will hear about ivermectin is that it is off label for poultry. This is true. “Off label” means you are using it in a way that is not how the packaging suggests. Ivermectin Pour-on is marketed for cattle and swine. Another thing you will see or hear is that it is hard on the liver. It is, by itself, safe. The pour on version is alcohol based and, therefore, hard on the liver if over-used. I typically do not use it until I SEE a reason to do so. Meaning, I don’t use ivermectin just because. If I see mites or worms, then I treat. It turns out to be about once every other year, in my own personal experience.

Wounds….

For smaller tears and lacerations, I use EMT gel. This is often found in the horse stuff in feed stores. It comes in a little tube-like toothpaste and looks like honey. You flush the wound, let it dry a bit, add the EMT and as it dries it seals the wound while also hardening into an “armor” of sorts for the wound to heal. It is a collagen based gel and adheres to the skin, closing the wound and promoting healing. It is very messy, however, which is the only negative I have about the product. I just wear gloves whenever I deal with it, or I wash my hands immediately after. I should buy stock in this stuff, because I absolutely love it.

For larger wounds and wounds during peak fly season, I use Alushield. Any wound during fly season is an invite for fly strike to happen to your bird. If you ever have had to deal with fly strike, you know how it doesn’t take long for flies to lay and maggots to grow. The moment I see a wound in the spring and summer, I spray it with Alushield. It has proven very effective closing wounds and promoting healing in hens whose backs have been torn by overly active roosters. There is no clear answer on withdrawal period for this product. The chance of us eating a bird we bothered to save is very slim, so meat withdrawal is not an issue for us (or I would imagine most chicken tenders). The egg withdrawal is also unclear, but we pull those eggs (if there are any) for 7 days for good measure. When in doubt, throw it out. Alushield is just aerosol aluminum and I just think it is a good idea to avoid ingesting too much aluminum. That said, it is 100% a must in my emergency box due to the protection against fly strike.

Overall Health….

The last thing I have to have around for any sick or injured birds is Rooster Booster Poultry Cell. This is a concentrate that I give to give a boost to the whole flock and use on sick birds, I have even saved one chick from wry neck with it. It is a whole vitamin supplement that can really help the overall health of your flock. If a bird is under stress or any sickness, having all the vitamins and minerals they need really helps in the healing. I have used it in concentrate form to save a hatchling who could not hold his head right. Four days of TLC and Poultry Cell and he started showing improvement and we stopped with the concentrate and started diluting in water. After about 2 weeks he was totally normal and has been since – except that he demands to be picked up daily and get scratched between his waddles. His name is Stevie, and I’m considering having him his own posts here.

So that is my 4 things I will not get caught without. I hope you take from this that not everything is a crisis. I understand that it can be totally scary and overwhelming to have an injured or sick bird. So many wounds look like there is no way they will heal, but I assure you, these products are amazing. At the time of this writing, I am not at all getting paid by these companies to promote them. This is my honest, heartfelt, opinion from my own experience.

Stacy Tate

What do you think?