Adding Vitamins to Chick's Water?

[Oktober]

I was in the tack and feed store today looking at supplies in advance of our chicks arriving in a few weeks. The sales person who was answering my questions kept pushing the vitamins/electrolyte packets to add to the chick's water. I thought I read somewhere that there is a downside to supplementing vitamins/electrolytes in young chicks. Any thoughts or advice?

Thanks!

-Okt

 

[Judy]

Ordinarily, chick feed contains all needed nutrients. You can overdo both certain vitamins and, certainly, electrolytes. They may be helpful during an illnessor when dehydrated, or for a day or two after shipping for new chicks, but I wouldn't add them routinely.

 

[gryeyes]

What ddawn said.

 

[MVchickens]

This year I decided I would add the mcmurray broiler booster and electrolytes to my laying chicks on a regular basis for the first four weeks (until packets were gone). This years batch was the most active and healthy batch I had seen in a long time. Highly recommended.

 

[Roo on Harley]

Knock on wood that I haven't had to give GroGel Plus-B here recently but have had to in the past.
Luckily I get my little chicks locally

 

[Nicole01]

I use Polyvisol vitamins without iron in their water. They are infant vitamins sold at many stores. I prefer using vitamins because not all the vitamins are in their feed. My chicks are growing up very well. I also use probios probiotics in their water as well.