For Curled Toes, how much Poly-Vi-Sol to adminsiter & how?

[starshrike]

I read through the forum & have determined it's likely vitamin deficiency causing this since it was a recent development. I will be purchasing Poly-Vi-Sol, but not sure of the best way to administer.

How much to put in water, for all (even with those not showing symptoms)?
or
Dropping it directly into affected chicks mouth?

I have 6 chicks. 3 Delawares, 1 Leghorn (supposedly Danish Brown, but she's white), 2 EE's

One Delaware has the most curled toes, the others (except EE's) are showing signs of the middle toe starting to curl.

I doubt I can splint, they're pretty active and aware of what's on their feet.

1) What type of bird , age and weight.
Delaware pullet, 15 days, a few ounces (normal)
2) What is the behavior, exactly.
None different from other chicks. Has a bit more trouble walking & perching, but it doesn't act different.
3) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma.
Curled toes (severe). Some other chicks exhibit minor signs. EE's do not exhibit symptoms at all.
4) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation.
Curled toes developed within the last couple days. When purchased, normal toes, last week, normal toes.
5) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all.
Eating and drinking normally
Food: Organic Pride Chick Grower/Starter, 20+% protein
Water: 6 chicks ~ 1/2 Quart daily
6) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc.
Normal
7) What has been the treatment you have administered so far?
None
8 ) What is your intent as far as treatment? For example, do you want to treat completely yourself, or do you need help in stabilizing the bird til you can get to a vet?
I plan to administer Poly-Vi-Sol
9) If you have a picture of the wound or condition, please post it. It may help.

10) Describe the housing/bedding in use
Small animal cage, newspaper liner with paper towels & pine shavings on top (not sliding). They get some (15-30 min) outside time daily on paved/dirt area.

 

[DuckLady]

You might try taping the toes straight on a shoe.
I usually use stiff cardboard or an old credit card. I trace around the foot and cut it out. (you don't need to go between the toes, just like a sole of a shoe). Then after it is the right size, I tape the toes on the shoe with medical paper tape.

 

[herdofnoni]

i put on to my chicks toes the pipe cleaner bent into a w shape. taped around the toes. this did help.
she had crocked toes from birth.only on one foot.. teh other with severely crooked toes died last weekend. i think it was a combination of problem.
any who the one that is living still doesn't walk normally. walks on her hocks . and her ankle is turned down on the fixed crooked toe foot. not sure what to do about that.
but any nough about me..and my chicks.. yes i had read that this could be a vit. deficiancy.
one drop daily of the polyvisol. in thier beaks and i put about 10 drops in the water. some times less. they have a bottle waterer so i generaly have to clean it daily any way they kick so much stuff into it!
well if you look under emergency there is a post from me and the person who replied put a link to her page with some neat tricks for "chicken physio!"
hope they get better soon

 

[starshrike]

I put about 10 drops in their quart waterer and gave an extra two drops directly to the most affected chick.... is there such thing as TOO many vitamins?

When taping her feet (the most affected), should I sequester her from the others?

Also, should I tape the feet of the others? Their toes are minimally curved, and they can walk and scratch normally since the bottoms are essentially flat still.

Thank you for all your help! I hope these itty bitties will be okay soon!

 

[coffeemama]

I've wondered this too. I have a chick that developed a crooked neck at 3 weeks, and I'm wondering if I should all the poly-stuff to the water of all the chicks?

 

[starshrike]

Just a little update...

The ones that didn't show symptoms have not gotten any worse since the addition of poly-vi-sol drops to the waterer (I did about 10 drops/quart). I will continue to add this to their water until they are done with the bag of feed (50 lbs)... or when I switch to layer food...which might be awhile!

The one with the severely curled toes has been treated with an additional drop for about 1 week as well as bandaging of toes for that same week until symptoms did not get worse. The splint made her walk like a duck and everyone (including herself) picked on her feet! I made sure there was enough medical tape to protect her feet from being pecked till they would bleed.

However, her toes are still curled! Not nearly as bad - she is flat-footed when she walks, but her two middle toes do curve towards each other. Her issue is most noticeable when she picks up a foot. After the week of treatment, her toes got pretty hard to straighten, so I 'gave up' as she was not losing to her 'sisters' when competing for food or running around.

 

[sammi]

you can give the Poly-vi-sol directly on or in the beak..

3 drops once a day..she really needs vitamin B (riboflavin)

are you sure she is eating?

 

[starshrike]

I gave it directly to her as a supplement in addition to giving it to everyone's water.

She's actually quite competitive when it comes to food, and she still isn't the smallest chick.

 

[JennH07]

Where do you get the Poly-Vi-Sol?

 

[Engteacher]

Our big grocery stores have it either in the infant area or by the vitamins. It is generally used as a liquid vitamin for human infants. Don't buy the stuff with added iron, just the regular stuff.