I've spent years purchasing gosh knows how many chicken items and supplies off Amazon. It's no joke that the vetting process is expensive and time consuming.

When emergencies hit, chances are you need an item immediately. Bypass being constantly on the defensive and be properly prepared instead. ​

From caring for to curing your sick or injured hen, use this list to build up your medical "vet bag" arsenal.

Click the images below to add it to your Amazon cart - happy shopping!

​Please note: The links below are affiliate links, meaning at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you end up clicking and purchasing an item. I worked hard to find my trusted favorites and I want to share them with you so you don't have to deal with all the crappy junk I had to go through. Nuff said.

VetRX
This tonic is like Vix Vapor Rub for your hens. ​ It provides relief from respiratory issues first and foremost.

VetRX works best when it's warm. We use it by heating up a mug of water and setting the bottle in it to warm up. You can also warm it up under hot running water. From there, add two drops to a spray bottle and mist your hens in the coop at night or apply a few drips directly to their beak and wattles. Another option is to place a few drops in hot water, shake it up, then dump it into their chicken waterer. 

VetRX also helps with scaly leg mites. Add a few drops to some organic Vaseline and rub it into their legs when they roost at night.
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DuraStat
The soluble powder is a great addition to the waterer when your flock is feeling under the weather. It includes essential oils like oregano, cinnamon, and rosemary to help boost immunity and increase appetite.

Add one scoop (included) per gallon of water and let the hens drink. You can also add a sprinkle to a pint-sized mason jar, shake it up, and eye dropper it to a sick hen in need.
Blu-Kote Aerosol Spray
Blu-Kote is like a sprayable Neosporin for your hens. Any cut, wound, or open sore gets sprayed with Blu-Kote on our farm.

The anti-bacterial and fungicidal formula deeply penetrates skin to help reduce pus formation and infection.​ While gauze or bandages can make hens feel claustrophobic, this simple aerosol spray will keep wounds clean.

Note: It can leave purple stains on clothes and hands! I use rubbing alcohol to get the stains out when they happen.
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Terramycin
This is a last-resort antibiotic we use on our hens who have respiratory issues that are showing in their eyes/sinuses. Symptoms would include coughing, sneezing, bubbly breathing, wheezing, and lethargy. 

​Apply a pin-head-size amount to each eye to help get antibiotics to the sinuses.

A dab of VetRX on the beak before you manhandle your hens helps too!
Easy Glide Luer Lock Syringe 1cc
Syringes are one of the things we use the most of on our farm. From dropper feeding sick hens to administering medicine. These have slip tips and not lock tips for a needle, which I like more for ease of batching injections. 

To sterilize them (with our without a needle) grab three cups. Fill up the first cup with hot water, ​ the second cup with 1 tbsp bleach and hot water, and the final cup with hot water. The syringe first sucks up water from the first cup, then expel it. Then suck up water from the bleach cup, expel it. Then finally suck up water from the last cup. Set on a clean towel to dry. Your syringe is now sterilized and can be reused!
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22 Gauge 1" Needles
For administering medicine. These fit nicely with the syringes mentioned above. The 22 gauge is a good thickness for the hen's skin. The 1" length is perfect for intramuscular injections or subcutaneous injections. 
CORID Soluble Powder
This soluble powder mixes right into your hen's waterer. It helps with the treatment of severe Coccidiosis. Cocci are a grouping of parasites that will take over your hen's intestinal tract and prevent her from absorbing nutrients from her food. ​We use this as a last resort if diatomaceous earth didn't do the trick.
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Diatomaceous Earth - Food Grade
Speaking of diatomaceous earth! DE is crushed up fossils from the ocean floor. It is 100% natural and works wonders on not just chicken-related care, but other pets' needs too. The drying characteristics eviscerate and kill bugs, nematodes, and parasites.

We use this 2x a season on our hens as a safeguard to combat parasites by adding 2 tbsp per gallon to their waterer. You can also sprinkle 1 tbsp per 1 lb of feed. Not only can you use it on your hens orally, but you can sprinkle it over their run and coop to prevent parasites from a total takeover.

DE can be added to dust bathing areas as well to help chickens nix lice and mites. We add 1/2 cup every 2 weeks to a 50/50 gravel and wood ash mix for our dust bath.

To learn more about how we use DE in our daily lives and on the farm, read this blog post.
Magnesium Sulfate
If a hen every is egg bound, you'll need to get in a warm magnesium salt bath to help relax her vent and oviduct. Have epsom salts on hand so you are scrambling when disaster strikes.

We fill up our utility sink with warm water until the hen's vent is submerged, then we add 1 cup of epsom salts and stir until dissolved.​ Let her soak for 20 minutes. From there, use this lube to grease up the vent to help her pass the egg. DO NOT use olive oil or any other food-based lube as it can go rancid and cause an infection in her oviduct.
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Vet Kit
This little kit comes with everything you need to do serious wound repair or impacted crop surgery. You can check out my blog post here on doing crop surgeries on our hens.​

The kit includes: Needle Driver 5'', Mosquito Forcep 5'', Iris Scissors 4.5'', Flat Tissue Forcep 5'';  Scalpel Handle (#3), 5 Scalpel Blades (#10)
Sutures
If you ever need to sew up a big wound, having sutures on hand is a huge blessing. Watch this YouTube Video to teach yourself how to suture properly - you never know - it may come in handy for someone other than your chickens!
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Dog Crate for Chicken ICU
When a hen is injured or sick, you have to separate her from the rest of the flock, otherwise she will get picked on! We got this dog crate and it seems there's always a sick hen to put in there, so we've got a few more than one now! Not having to prepare a quarantined area from scratch saves me so much time. Plus, the bottom can be sprayed down with bleach, rinsed, and air-dried in between sick hens. So easy!

WANT TO KNOW HOW WE OPERATED ON TWO OF OUR HENS SUCCESSFULLY?