First Aid Kit
John Pire -IDS

Having a FIRST AID KIT in a handy and convenient location is essential when keeping birds. One never knows when an accident can happen, be it a broken blood feather, broken leg or wing, cracked bill, etc. Contact your avian vet as soon as possible for life threatening situations. Minor items can be dealt with yourself & the First Aid Kit you have put together & kept stocked.

Using a plastic toolbox purchased from the local discount store makes an excellent first aid kit container. Picking a brightly colored box will aid one in spotting it quickly in an emergency.

Items that should be included in the First Aid Kit are listed below. You can add anything you feel is needed also.

Print any Phone numbers for your Vet or anyone you may want to contact in Emergencies; laminate the card & attach to the inside of the lid (making it visible at first glance).
· Gauze, gauze pads, some type of first-aid tape, bandages, liquid bandage, cotton swabs, cotton balls
· Scissors, nail clippers, nail file, tweezers, small pliers, leg band cutter
· Magnifying glass – aids in seeing fibers embedded or wrapped around legs or toes
· Electrolyte Solution – such as Pedialyte (replace often) do not give solution chilled – use at room temp or slightly warmed
· Eye droppers, pipettes, syringes – for medications, solutions, or feeding
· Styptic stick (Kwik Stop) used to stop bleeding on nails or beaks. NEVER use in open flesh wounds
· Hydrogen Peroxide – use full strength for first time wound cleaning – follow-up uses need to be diluted 1:10 with water. The hydrogen peroxide will inhibit healing if used undiluted
· Small flashlight
· Antibiotic salve/ointment – Neosporin or a similar ointment – aids in preventing infection
· Clean soft towel/cloth – used to control bird by wrapping around the body; cleaning or placing injured bird on
· Small sealed jar (a baby food jar works great) or vacuum sealed bag of a dry handfeeding formula (include mixing & feeding instructions)
· Heating pad & cloth cover – aids in keeping bird warm
· Phone number & address of nearest Avian Vet and Animal Hospital – including any Emergency phone numbers or pager numbers they may utilize
· Notepad & pencil/pen
· Soft restraints – to keep wings and feet immobile
· Small "zip-lock" baggies – for dropping, etc which might need to be collected

Items you will need:
A brooder. Easy to make from the medium or large sized molded Plastic
"Kritter Keepers" available at almost any pet store. You'll need two.
One 15 watt or 25 watt submersible fish tank heater. Fill one Keeper about a
third to 1/2 of the way with luke warm water. Put the heater on the
bottom, set the other Keeper on top, so it sits in the water. Plug the
heater in, a little red light will come on telling you it is working.
Even if it is on the highest setting its not going to melt the
plastic. For a really warm brooder place a light towel on top and wrap
one around the sides. From time to time touch the side to see if it is
warm.
Put about an inch of Pine shavings on the bottom.  Towels get dirty
too fast and you'll be washing them all the time. DO NOT use Cedar
shavings. Change often.
Now you have warm nest for your squabs (or whatever). Place the
plastic lid on top. It is "vented" for air. Store away the other top.
This home made "water brooder" should cost around $50.00 total. If it,
saves lives its worth the expense. I have two $800.00 digitally
controlled brooders but I only trust the water brooders for very young
birds. I have been using them for years.
Also, in the kit you'll need a hand feeding formula. I use Exact, nothing
else, nothing added. I PREFER the Macaw formula over the regular
Formula. The only tool I use to feed baby pigeons is an O-Ring
syringe. 1cc for very young, larger ones for older birds. One does not have to have a degree in rocket science, anyone can handfeed a young pigeon, once you do it a couple of times. You'll get a routine. My husband and I both feed differently. I feed
fast, he goes slower. Just make sure you fill the "bag" (crop) and not
so much as to start backing up the throat. You'll see what I mean.
Baby Pigeons will wean faster than any other bird that I know.
I've had them weaned off of formula before their pinfeathers have all
opened.
When they are pretty much feathered I move them to a cage and
present water, by sticking their head in it. Once is usually enough
and regular Pigeon Food in a bowl. I have a "tutor" sometimes
with them - usually another dove or a docile adult pigeon to show them how to
pick seed. If I go to feed and their crop is full of little round
things (seeds/pellets) I don't feed them. Done. They may beg, but they usually beg as
they are eating. Some babies are very, very fast, others take a bit
more time.
I have handfed at least a thousand birds of all kinds, pigeons are pretty darn easy.

Don't make it hard on yourself.
Good luck.
Darlene Ferguson

Darlene & her husband are breeders of:
Large & Small Parrots
Archangel & Indian Fantail Pigeons
Ringneck Dove Color Mutations
Batam Cochin, Japanese, Old English Game & Phoenix Chickens

First Aid Kit Ideas