Vitamin Deficiency

[HeatherOhio]

One of my hens is having a very difficult time walking. She is eating and drinking. From what I've researched it's a vitamin B deficiency. What's the best way to get her back on track?

 

[RoyalChick]

One of my hens is having a very difficult time walking. She is eating and drinking. From what I've researched it's a vitamin B deficiency. What's the best way to get her back on track?

You can give her vitamin B supplements that are readily available from the pharmacist for people.
They are very safe so you can give the human dose and if your other chickens eat some that is OK too.
I put it in with feed and wet it to make a mash.
The vitamin that is most implicated in paralysis is B2. You can get B2 supplements for people on line but less common to see just B2 in the pharmacy.
I gave mine lots (human dose + every day) for quite a while. She improved after about a week but then relapsed when I stopped it and got better when I restarted So I kept her on it for at least a couple of months and now she is just fine.

 

[Eggcessive]

Can you describe how she is walking? Is she sitting or walking on her hocks, and do her toes curl under on either leg? Those are symptoms of a riboflavin (B2) deficiency. Is her problem in one leg or both?

 

[HeatherOhio]

Can you describe how she is walking? Is she sitting or walking on her hocks, and do her toes curl under on either leg? Those are symptoms of a riboflavin (B2) deficiency. Is her problem in one leg or both?

One foot will curl but when I set her on the ground she spends it out. Is there any way to tell the difference between Marek's vs B2 deficiency?!?

 

[Eggcessive]

Riboflavin B2 deficiency usually affects both legs. Sometimes in Mareks, they will walk on one hock, and have curled under toes on the same one foot. But this also can be true with an injury affecting the sciatic nerve in the leg. It is good to try using human vitamin B or super B complex, and 1/4 to 1/2 tablet daily is fine. Crush it in food or water. Don’t use just riboflavin tablets, as that is too high of a dose.

 

[Eleni12]

Riboflavin B2 deficiency usually affects both legs. Sometimes in Mareks, they will walk on one hock, and have curled under toes on the same one foot. But this also can be true with an injury affecting the sciatic nerve in the leg. It is good to try using human vitamin B or super B complex, and 1/4 to 1/2 tablet daily is fine. Crush it in food or water. Don’t use just riboflavin tablets, as that is too high of a dose.

My hen has a hurt leg from an injury, I want to start my girls on vitamins. I want to start them on B complex and should I also do vitamin E? Both 1/2 pill a day? I only have 2 hens

 

[Wyorp Rock]

My hen has a hurt leg from an injury, I want to start my girls on vitamins. I want to start them on B complex and should I also do vitamin E? Both 1/2 pill a day? I only have 2 hens

You have replies on your other thread.
Giving your hen 1/4 tablet B-Complex daily won't hurt anything. The E is probably not necessary for a sprain.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/chicken-hurt-her-leg.1577334/