What happens when a chicken or duck gets injured?  The top answers you will find are cull it, help it, or just let nature run its course.  We have had to deal with quite a few injuries ourselves usually with raccoon, fox, or dog attacks.  In the past we have also dealt with roosters being injured while fighting each other.  I wanted to share information on what we do because we are the type that help the chicken or duck.  We have been successful most of the time.

I believe the quicker action is taken to help the animal then the outcome will be successful.  There are various elements fighting against your animal right after injury, but the two I fear the most are infection and flies (maggots).  I’m a huge advocate to bringing the injured animal inside…away from the other animals, sun, flies, noise, etc.  I believe they heal a lot better, faster in a dim quiet area.  Here is how we handle an injured chicken or duck:

At our house, we use our basement for the animal’s recovery.  We have even used my office once.  First, we bring the animal in, assess the injuries. If there is bleeding we will wash it off with warm water and a clean cloth.  Whether the chicken or duck has a gash, scrape, or just missing feathers we spray a product called Vetericyn on that area.  It’s a spray made especially for all forms of poultry.  It contains no antibiotics, but the spray promotes healthy tissue growth.  This is sold at Tractor Supply Co., Amazon, and I’m sure other feed stores.  It’s about $20 but it is worth it.  If the wound won’t stop bleeding, we will wrap it with gauze pads and wrap it with gauze roll.  The dressing is changed every day, along with spraying Vetericyn on it until it is healed.  Straw is put down for the animal to lay on.  An old shirt is used as a blanket if the weather is cool.  The picture at the top of the page is Little Roo after he was attacked by a fox.  We put down straw for him to lay on, draped a shirt over his back, and made drink and food available.  We occasionally use our dog kennel to put the chicken/duck in if they can get around a little bit.  This helps to contain them to one area, stopping them from getting into things.

I also like to mix water with electrolytes and vitamins, the brand we use is Rooster Booster.  This gives the chicken/duck a boost…literally.  I never heard of this stuff until Little Roo had been attacked by a fox.  I couldn’t get him to drink any water.  After I added the electrolyte he drank a lot.  To me it smells like sweet vanilla.  Who wouldn’t want to drink that?  Yum.  This can be bought at the same place as the Vetericyn spray.  It’s around $10.

I also like to feed them eggs…usually just boiled and cut in half.  This will help them to get protein.

The Rooster Booster measurement I use is 1/4 tsp and half of 1/4 tsp in 1 gallon of water.  I shake the mixture in the bottle and serve.  I usually keep it a couple of days, giving it to the injured chicken and the other chickens so it doesn’t go to waste.  It’s important to make sure the water doesn’t go stale.

Recently we added an ointment called Terramycin to our first aid kit.  I noticed one of the ducks wasn’t acting right.  She was still for a long time which is rare for any of the ducks.  They take naps through out the day but move place to place and splash in the pool.  She was in the same spot for a couple of hours.  I went out to check on her, lo and behold she had an abscess on her eyelid.  After doing an online search on the best way to take care of an eye wound/infection, I came upon terramycin.  I drove up to Tractor Supply to retrieve the ointment.  It cost around $17.  The cashier told me that it was about to be taken off the shelf and only sold at the vet office for around $30.  If it’s not at the feed store then try the vet office.  When I got home I put the ointment on, the abscess/cyst (whatever it was) ended up going down or bursting through the night.  At least the next day I could see her eye.  I’m sure the eye has lost most if not all the vision, but she is back to her normal self.  I applied the terramycin for several days and then did every other day for another week.  She finally had enough and would hide in her coop when it was time to put the ointment on.  To apply the terramycin, I have my husband or oldest son hold the duck.  I would wash my hands, apply a small amount of ointment to my index finger (no bigger than a pea size).  With my middle finger I would pull the lower lid down and swipe the ointment across the eye.  Gross.  Yes…I know, but it has to be done.  I tried to use gloves the first time, but the ointment smeared everywhere.

Here is a picture of our first aid kit.

We decided to use a plastic box with a lid.  It works out perfect keeping the small items together and when it’s needed we can grab it and go.  In our first aid kit we have:

  • Scissors
  • Latex Gloves
  • Witch Hazel
  • Antiseptic Solution
  • Rolled Gauze
  • Gauze Pads
  • Waterproof Adhesive Tape

We also keep a stack of old shirts to use as blankets.

Listed below are the other products that we use:

  Terramycin: eye ointment

 Rooster Booster: electrolyte and vitamins.

 Vetericyn: wound spray.

 

What do you keep in your first aid box!?  Comment below, I would love to read it!