B12 vs B Complex? Please help me to understand

[MiaS]

It does appear that stress aid has riboflavin, but I would feel more comfortable using a chicken vitamin or the human B complex. Your local pharmacy probably has it, or you can also use nutritional yeast.

I can certainly get human B complex both liquid (seem to contain flavour and sorbitol, stevia or other sweeteners). The stress-aid was the only chicken vitamin I could find at my feed store.

 

[MiaS]

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/p...Xc4tafxPxq2YmlHl-kGDHT75Ua2KLO-8aArSREALw_wcB

Don't think I can get Durvet but I can get Rooster Booster from Amazon.

 

[MiaS]

Your "Stress Aid" link does go to drugs.com Canada - I see it should be labeled for poultry, turkey, cattle, swine, etc. It does contain B2 (Riboflavin), but it is a Vitamin/Electrolyte product that should not be used for a long period of time. Personally, I would not use it for more than 2-3 days a week. (for a sick bird)
https://www.drugs.com/vet/stress-aid-can.html
If you wish - post a photo of the exact product you have - both front and back.

Human B-Complex, can also be used - do you have a local pharmacy that carries vitamins?

Being in Canada, sometimes it's harder for us in the US to make specific recommendations on products available to you. It may be better to show us photos of products that you have found and are considering.

I'm sorry that your pullet is having trouble walking. Posting the video when you can, may be helpful.
Tell us about what you feed including treats.
Sometimes it's very hard to know if a chicken has disease unless you lose them and have some testing performed.

Look forward to more information and photos/video.

B12 would only contain B12. B complex should contain all the B vitamins which would be thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, B6, B12, folic acid and pantothenic acid.
You would have to check the label to see how much B12 in the former vs. how much in the latter.
The problems could be many and not just a B deficiency. IMO, a good source of vitamin, mineral and essential amino acid supplements is Nutri-Drench.

I think I can get Nutri-drench

 

[Eggcessive]

NutriDrench does not have riboflavin. Can you get B complex tablets for humans?

 

[MiaS]

Good points made. A good fresh poultry feed, fed exclusively, should contain all the vitamins chickens need. What makes up their entire diet?

They are offered (free feed) grower crumbles (16%) as they are not laying (one has given me just 4 eggs so far) They get a few tablespoons (for three birds) of fermented grains and a few tablespoons of fresh greens, yoghurt or boiled egg, daily just to offer some fresh food as well as maybe two or three (total) tablespoons scratch with some mealworms late in the day for warmth and to keep them moving in their enclosed run. I didn't really think I was above a 10% threshold but maybe?

I emailed the farm I bought them from to see if they immunize for Merek's since I bought them at 8-10 weeks old and didn't know. That could have reduced the chance of Merek's (maybe) but she doesn't vaccinate.

I am currently deworming. Just did the second treatment of Ivomec tonight and noticed round worms on the poop board for the first time ever this afternoon. About a week ago I found a dried piece of something that I sort of thought looked tapeworm like but honestly I have no idea what a dried tapeworm would actually look like. It just was a dried flat thing, on the poop board but not in a poop, maybe 1 1/2" long. It did look segmented. Stupidly I did not keep it for further investigation. Uggh. Dumb. I don't seem to be able to find Valbazen through UFA or online in Canada.

When we went into the coop tonight to deworm for the first time ever they were all in a corner on the floor rather than on their roost. Everybody feels too skinny to me and I've noticed over the last few days that my fave barred rock doesn't seem as talkative and perky as she usually is. Now I'm alarmed!

 

[MiaS]

NutriDrench does not have riboflavin. Can you get B complex tablets for humans?

Yes. Complex 50 and Complex 100 (not sure of the difference), tablets and gel caps. I can also get this

https://www.prairienaturals.ca/products/ionic-liquid-b-complex-solution/

I have nutritional yeast as well

 

[Eggcessive]

Any of those is fine, but I would just get the least expensive or use the nutritional yeast. Only a little extra riboflavin is needed if there is difficiency. If using any of the tablets, give 1/4 tablet daily crushed into food. If you do not see results within a couple of weeks, and you are feeding a balanced chicken feed, then that may not be the problem.

 

[MiaS]

Any of those is fine, but I would just get the least expensive or use the nutritional yeast. Only a little extra riboflavin is needed if there is difficiency. If using any of the tablets, give 1/4 tablet daily crushed into food. If you do not see results within a couple of weeks, and you are feeding a balanced chicken feed, then that may not be the problem.

So the nutritional yeast is for the b vitamins or the riboflavin?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

They are offered (free feed) grower crumbles (16%) as they are not laying (one has given me just 4 eggs so far) They get a few tablespoons (for three birds) of fermented grains and a few tablespoons of fresh greens, yoghurt or boiled egg, daily just to offer some fresh food as well as maybe two or three (total) tablespoons scratch with some mealworms late in the day for warmth and to keep them moving in their enclosed run. I didn't really think I was above a 10% threshold but maybe?

I emailed the farm I bought them from to see if they immunize for Merek's since I bought them at 8-10 weeks old and didn't know. That could have reduced the chance of Merek's (maybe) but she doesn't vaccinate.

I am currently deworming. Just did the second treatment of Ivomec tonight and noticed round worms on the poop board for the first time ever this afternoon. About a week ago I found a dried piece of something that I sort of thought looked tapeworm like but honestly I have no idea what a dried tapeworm would actually look like. It just was a dried flat thing, on the poop board but not in a poop, maybe 1 1/2" long. It did look segmented. Stupidly I did not keep it for further investigation. Uggh. Dumb. I don't seem to be able to find Valbazen through UFA or online in Canada.

When we went into the coop tonight to deworm for the first time ever they were all in a corner on the floor rather than on their roost. Everybody feels too skinny to me and I've noticed over the last few days that my fave barred rock doesn't seem as talkative and perky as she usually is. Now I'm alarmed!

Thanks for the reply. The change in behavior is troubling. The visuals on the worms is significant as well.
Sometimes I'll find most of my birds on a roost and sometimes sleeping in a corner on the floor. That always concerns me too but .
A Marek's vaccination isn't 100% effective and I don't vaccinate but that is just me. Probably most people do.

 

[MiaS]

Thanks for the reply. The change in behavior is troubling. The visuals on the worms is significant as well.
A Marek's vaccination isn't 100% effective and I don't vaccinate but that is just me. Probably most people do.

Been doing a lot of reading here and elsewhere about Merek's. I support non-vaccinating I think, even if I've got it. A leaky vaccine seems dangerous to me and sounds like it is part of the problem rather than the solution. Do you think I'm okay with my 'treat' allotment?