home remedies

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Animals can bring so much joy and entertainment to our lives. From chickens and guineas, all the way up to horses and bottle lambs, it’s hard not to love having animals around. Even though they bring us joy, there are bound to be some minor injuries along the way. That’s why I always keep a first aid kit handy, just in case! In this blog post, I’ll share with you some of my must-have animal first aid supplies for all species, as well as some specific supplies for birds that live on my homestead.

The Basics For Every Species
No matter what type of animal you have, there are certain items that should be kept in your first aid kit at all times.
•    Vet Wrap - Not only is vet wrap incredibly versatile—it can be used for bandaging sprains or holding an ice pack in place—but it also stays put even when wet or dirty. This makes it perfect for animals who spend a lot of time outdoors or get muddy often. Or even the perfect band aid for yourself.

•    Gauze Pads - These are essential for cleaning out any wounds that your animals may get. They’re also great for absorbing blood and other fluids from deeper cuts or scrapes so that you can properly assess the damage and treat accordingly.

•    Diapers - Believe it or not, diapers are very useful in animal first aid kits! They make an excellent padding material when bandaging large areas (like a horse's leg) because they have soft material on both sides and are thick enough that they won't tear easily. Plus, they're absorbent so they'll help keep the wound area dry during treatment. They are perfect for keeping a foot clean in the case of a foot abscess too. For how to treat that, click here.

•    Duck Tape – Honestly this is in the vet kit and tool box. In the first aid kit, duck tape is the top layer in an abscess boot, or the final rings on a leg wrap.

•    Calendula Salve - This salve is amazing for treating minor cuts and scrapes on any species of animal. It has anti-inflammatory properties which will help reduce swelling and discomfort while promoting healing and tissue regeneration at the same time. I have used this on scrapes and gashes from untrimmed rooster spurs. Read how to make it here.

•    Epson Salt - Epson salt is essential if your animals ever has an abscess. Typically, you dissolve the salt in warm water to make a soak solution.

•    Clean Bucket – Having a clean bucket nearby helps you transport water or cleaning solutions easily while keeping your hands free during treatment of your animal’s injury. It also comes in handy if you need to soak any gauze pads before using them on a wound—just fill up the bucket with water, add whatever disinfectant you prefer, then drop the gauze pads into the solution until ready to use!

•    Cotton Batting – Cotton batting is great for wrapping around sprains since it provides cushioning without being too tight against the skin which could cause further discomfort for your pet (or livestock). Also works well as stuffing inside bandages if needed!

•    Clean Rags – These come in handy when wiping away dirt from wounds before applying topical treatments like calendula salve or iodine solution (which we'll talk about later). They can also be used to clean off tools/supplies between uses so that everything stays sanitary throughout treatment processes.

•    Syringes – Can be used to deliver needed antibiotics, but most often I’m using them for drenching, or washing out wound areas to small for a hose.

•    Iodine – This is specifically for disinfecting tools or cleaning out abscesses.

•    Lavender and Copieba Essential Oil – I use these two with calendula salve, to speed healing and decrease the pain on open wounds.

For The Birds
If you have chickens, geese, turkeys or guineas in your flock then there are two additional products that I would highly recommend having on hand: Nutri-Drink and Hydro-Boost. Nutri-Drink is an electrolyte supplement that helps poultry stay hydrated in hot weather while Hydro-Boost provides essential vitamins and minerals necessary for proper nutrition. Both products can be added to water and they taste great so birds will drink them willingly! Any time a bird is injured or stressed (like newly shipped chicks), I add some to the water for the first day and help out.

Having the right supplies on hand when caring for injured animals can make all the difference between a successful recovery and an unsuccessful one. With this list of must-haves in mind, you will be well prepared if an injury occurs with any of your animals—especially birds! Gather up these items now so that they’re ready when needed; doing so will give you peace of mind knowing that if the worst happens you’ll have everything necessary to provide the best possible care to your beloved pets. Good luck!

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A recent interest I have found is using plants for home remedies. The first book I purchased that has been very helpful and remains my favorite is “Medicinal Herbs: A Beginner’s Guide” by Rosemary Gladstar. It lays out how to know the plants, grow them, and use 33 plants. What I discovered is many of the “weeds” were beneficial! All I needed was to be able to identify them and know where they were naturally growing. If I knew that area was not going to be sprayed, I could just harvest them there! Win!! I didn’t have to take care of it! The best part is most of these are easy to grow and maintain once they are established. I like to get any seeds I can from Seed Savers if I cannot find them there, the next place is Amazon.  I try to get heirloom varieties, as they seem to start from seed and grow the best. They also are great for saving seeds for next year. 

This is still a growing area of my yard. I started collecting the information and trying plants when I was pregnant with my second, not thinking about the fact that having a baby in June greatly limits my ability to take care of the new plants. So I am still working on starting that flower bed….

Aloe Vera – gel from the leaves soothes burns, wounds, and skin irritations. This one lives in my house and able to survive toddlers!

Calendula – has so many uses! My favorite is for wounds. It has amazing ability to stimulate cell repair and keep infections at bay. It is also a great for yeast overgrowth, it’s astringent and antiseptic which is great for gastrointestinal problems, and great at nourishing and cleansing the lymphatic system. I love this one! Super easy to grow and re-seeds easily. I keep this on in an old tank by the house.  

Dandelion – the leaf is a mild diuretic and can be used for bladder or kidney problems and is high in potassium. The root is a liver tonic and stimulates the production of bile. It does taste very bitter though. The flower can also be eaten.   You can find dandelions everywhere but make sure, wherever you harvest them from, they have not been sprayed!

Lavender – The flower is the mainly used, but the leaf can be as well. It helps to alleviate migraines and headaches, reduce tension, stress and insomnia. This is one I got going good last year from seed and then it was killed on accident…

Lemon Balm – calms nervous and digestive systems. You can add it to chamomile for nervous exhaustion. It is also great as a spice to flavor food! Also, easy to grow and will spread. 

Peppermint – best known for its digestive aid and relieving nausea and gas. It spread to wherever it is allowed, so keep it contained.

Plantain – I didn’t know about this one, but it is everywhere! I don’t plant it because it comes up wherever there is blank dirt. It draws toxicity from the body and has properties that help check bleeding! I mix this one with calendula into a salve and use it on all cuts or rashes. 

Spearmint – milder than peppermint, but just as easy to grow. It is great alternative to peppermint for children and tends to have amphoteric properties (it moves the direction the body needs, stimulating and relaxing).

Yarrow – antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, and astringent properties. It is well known for healing wounds, bruises, and sprains. Make sure you find the wild version not a colorful hybrid. I found this one in my horse pasture!

 

Chamomile – anti-inflammatory and anti fever

Echinacea – aids in immune function, has antifungal and antibacterial properties

Elder – Rich in vitamin C! Great immune enhancer

Marsh  Mallow – Great from soothing inflamed and irritated tissues of the respiratory, digestive, and skin systems. 

Mullein – the leaf is antispasmodic and an expectorant (get rid of mucus). 

St. John’s Wort – strong antidepressant, antibacterial, antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties. Made into an oil, it is one of the best herbs for trauma to the skin, relieving pain and promoting tissue repair. 

Valerian – used for stress, tension, insomnia and nervous system disorders.