Chicken & Duck Products
Heat Lamp Bulbs: https://amzn.to/31JIR5m *Heat Lamps can be dangerous. I only recommend using them in a very controlled environment, where there is no possibility of animals knocking them over. They can cause fires. I recommend using a brooding plate (see below) to minimize fire risk!
Heat Lamp Housing: https://amzn.to/3dZKSNd *If you do use heat lamps, be sure to get a base with a guard!
Brooding Plate: https://amzn.to/2NQS17X *A safe alternative to heat lamps that will keep your chicks warm. I use heat lamps while they are inside the house, and switch to brooding plates once they are moved to the coop and I am unable to keep them from knocking things over!
Brooder Container: https://amzn.to/3isQkeW or https://amzn.to/2C3eUSY *I use these containers as my brooder for the first couple of weeks until the chicks can go outside. I like to buy multiples for ease of cleaning, and for when I end up with more chickens than can fit in one box! I also prefer to use the larger totes, as it gives the chicks more room to get away from the heat or each other, if needed.
Puppy Pads: https://amzn.to/38qKAOd *I line my brooders with puppy pads and then cover with pine shavings. The lining makes cleaning a breeze! Just roll the pad up and toss out the contents!
Brooder Waterer: https://amzn.to/2VMJeZ3 & https://amzn.to/2D1XztW *These two products together is the most simple waterer in the industry, but they have stood the test of time for a reason!
Brooder Feeder: https://amzn.to/3dWlLe3 *Another product that has stood the test of time. Easy to empty and fill, easy to clean.
Outdoor Waterer: https://amzn.to/2YX91zH or https://amzn.to/3inGyuB or https://amzn.to/3eYqkWD *When it comes to outdoor waterers you have lots of options that are all great! The first two I have linked are nipples and cups. I suggest drilling these into either a 5 gallon bucket or a 55 gallon drum, depending on your water usage. These are great for the winter, as you can put a heater (also linked below) into the buckets to keep them from freezing. The third item linked is a little giant waterer that I LOVE for the summer months, but is not great for the winters in Maine, as they freeze easily and there is no way to put a heater in them. You do have to replace the rings in these waterers periodically as well https://amzn.to/2VG9Ri8
Water Heater: https://amzn.to/3gmo3Vq *I have had three of these heaters for OVER 10 YEARS and they are still kicking. I asked for this for Christmas when I was in middle school because I was sick of hauling water out to the goats and chickens twice a day. Yes, I have been lazy my whole life! This is really a life saver during these Maine winters, it can take you from carrying buckets multiple times a day, to once a week. Seriously worth the investment for me!
Outdoor Feeder: https://amzn.to/2D5l7hz *I use the galvanized hanging feeders in various sizes for my birds, depending on the size of the flock. I highly recommend hanging them outside in your run. If you put them on the ground they get dirty and wet easily, the birds also make a mess of them scratching. Hanging them about 8 inches off the ground keeps the birds from scratching and keeps the feeder clean!
Hardware Cloth: When building your coop & run I highly suggest using hardware cloth from your local hardware store, they sometimes have it at Marden’s! Please do not use chicken wire. Chicken wire will keep your birds in, but will not keep many predators out. Hardware cloth may be more expensive initially, but it will save you livestock losses and run repair costs in the long run!
The Actual Coop: Build it yourself or buy one from someone local! I do not suggest the pre-fab kits, like the ones from Tractor Supply Company. Trust me, I have one! The pre-fab kits are not worth what you pay for them (even on sale) and are easily broken into by predators because of cheap materials used.
Brewers Yeast: https://amzn.to/2YXYGna *This is a MUST HAVE for ducklings. Most commercial foods do not contain enough niacin for proper development in ducklings. I add brewers yeast to my ducklings’ food daily to ensure proper growth. You do not need brewer’s yeast for chicks.
Rabbit Products
Water Bottles: https://amzn.to/3e1YJT4 or https://amzn.to/2AtaunX *I highly suggest water bottles over water bowls. Rabbits have this really fun tendency to toss their dishes around the cage if they are light enough. A bottle will keep your cage dry and help your rabbit’s water last longer. The two linked are both great, the heated one is an essential in my opinion if you have rabbits outdoors during the winter months! I suggest having an extra on hand, just in case the one you are using become leaky.
Miracle Nipple: https://amzn.to/38raYY9 *This is an essential to have on hand if you are breeding rabbits. Sometimes things happen and you end up needing to hand raise or supplement your kits. This is the only nipple I have been able to find that rabbits & other small animals accept easily, and I have tried A LOT of different methods.
Milk Replacer: https://amzn.to/2C45qqq *This goes along with hand raising kits if you are breeding. Kitten milk replacer is the closest easily obtained milk replacer to rabbit’s milk. Rabbit milk is very rich, so some suggest mixing heavy cream in with the formula.
Pig Products
Waterer: https://amzn.to/2NVwz1y & https://amzn.to/2ZEUqb6 *these pig nipples and threaded bulkhead fittings together will make an easy pig waterer. I drilled them into a 55 gallon drum, which can also hold a water heater for the winter months. When you buy a drum, make sure it did not previously hold chemicals, anything food-grade should be safe.
Water Heater: https://amzn.to/3gmo3Vq *I have had three of these heaters for OVER 10 YEARS and they are still kicking. I asked for this for Christmas when I was in middle school because I was sick of hauling water out to the goats and chickens twice a day. Yes, I have been lazy my whole life! This is really a life saver during these Maine winters, it can take you from carrying buckets multiple times a day, to once a week. Seriously worth the investment for me!
Electric fence Charger: https://amzn.to/2VNMHq7 *this is a solar charger, I prefer the solar charger, because our electric fencing is not close to our house and power outlets. The solar charger creates plenty of power for our fencing and I do not have to run hundreds of feet of extension cord! This has been the best investment on our homestead so far, we are able to fence in huge sections of land, for a minimal cost.
Grounding Kit: https://amzn.to/2VJukCU *everything you need to ground your electric fence system.
Electric Fence Wire: https://amzn.to/3dZpd7N or https://amzn.to/2W2y3f1 aluminum wire or polytape both work equally well to contain your animals. Polytape tends to be preferred by people fencing in horses, it is much easier for animals and humans to visualize. I do recommend putting flagging tape, https://amzn.to/2ZBwVQm, to make an aluminum wire fence more visible.
Electric Fence Signs: https://amzn.to/3iAyozd *this is a cheap way to ensure the safety of people who may end up on your land, near the electric fencing.
First Aid Kit Essentials
Poultry Vitamins & Electrolytes: https://amzn.to/2NWhVqR *I use rooster booster in my water for all of my chicks to give them the best start possible!
Pedialyte: https://amzn.to/2VLYdCs *if you are worried about an animal’s hydration and it is still drinking, you can give it Pedialyte for an extra boost. This can be given by choice or with a syringe.
Heating Pad: https://amzn.to/3goWACz *a heating pad is important to have on hand if you are breeding animals and may need to raise babies by hand, in case of emergency. This heating pad should not have an automatic shut off, as a baby animal will need consistent heating. This does come with some fire hazard, but it can be mitigated with proper use and positioning.
Syringes: https://amzn.to/2DaEFkN *this is a good variety pack of syringes for measuring out and administering medication and supplements as needed.
Needles: https://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.html?pgguid=DD56B795-3087-4B9A-A74D-37849C9F1B21 *Some medications require injection under the skin or into the muscles. This link provides a guide to buying the correct size needle for the animal you may be injecting.
Vetericyn: https://amzn.to/2ZtGqRm *a great antimicrobial spray to treat wounds. People refer to this as “magic water”.
Blu-Kote: https://amzn.to/3gBUZtp *this is my favorite and most used tool in the first-aid kit. It is a germicide and fungicide. The coloring of blu-kote will help to prevent other animals picking at the wounds, it hides the color of the blood and makes it less attractive. Even if I treat a wound with another treatment, I spray blu-kote on top because it helps prevent other animals from worsening the damage. I tend to reapply this often.
https://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.html?pgguid=30e07f7f-7b6a-11d5-a192-00b0d0204ae5