Hello! We recently got two baby chicks from a friend. I have no idea what their life was like before we got them, but the bag of feed they gave us was just scratch. So I'm assuming (?) the food the chicks were raised on was just this scratch. I'm not sure if they would have survived on scratch so I could be wrong. But it looked like that was the feed. We have a flock of 10 laying hens so I'm familiar with older chickens, but not chicks! I estimate them to be between 5-10 weeks. Closer to 5 or 6 weeks would be my best guess.
One chick is doing great, but one always had a preference to be held. By the second day, I realized it was due to lethargy and some recent difficulty with the legs that I didn't notice on Day 1. The chick in question has a good appetite, eats and drinks, and for the most part walks around, but definitely on shaky legs. There's some stumbling and lack of coordination due to the shakiness-- little hops and falls. He/she will take a few steps but extend the wing to keep balance like a third leg. Definitely falling over and it really seems to be due to the trembling legs. It chirps and follows the other chick around despite its mobility trouble. No wry neck or anything.
To note: on the first day, my dad was not thinking about disease spread & put the chicks in the existing coop with the laying hens. Separate compartment so no contact, but they were pecking at the ground which surely had poo from the hens. Not sure if they chicks are vaccinated so I suspected cocci at first. I gave them some garlic and switched them to medicated feed.
My gut is really telling me it's a vitamin deficiency. I switched them to medicated chick starter the first day I got them and I've been mashing up boiled eggs for them with garlic and brewers yeast.
Is what I'm doing enough to reverse any deficiencies (if we're dealing with deficiency)? Or should I use additional supplements? What vitamin deficiency causes this? Is it bad to over supplement, like giving them additional vitamins to hopefully overcome this, although they may not need all the extra vitamins?
Any input is welcome! Thank you!
One chick is doing great, but one always had a preference to be held. By the second day, I realized it was due to lethargy and some recent difficulty with the legs that I didn't notice on Day 1. The chick in question has a good appetite, eats and drinks, and for the most part walks around, but definitely on shaky legs. There's some stumbling and lack of coordination due to the shakiness-- little hops and falls. He/she will take a few steps but extend the wing to keep balance like a third leg. Definitely falling over and it really seems to be due to the trembling legs. It chirps and follows the other chick around despite its mobility trouble. No wry neck or anything.
To note: on the first day, my dad was not thinking about disease spread & put the chicks in the existing coop with the laying hens. Separate compartment so no contact, but they were pecking at the ground which surely had poo from the hens. Not sure if they chicks are vaccinated so I suspected cocci at first. I gave them some garlic and switched them to medicated feed.
My gut is really telling me it's a vitamin deficiency. I switched them to medicated chick starter the first day I got them and I've been mashing up boiled eggs for them with garlic and brewers yeast.
Is what I'm doing enough to reverse any deficiencies (if we're dealing with deficiency)? Or should I use additional supplements? What vitamin deficiency causes this? Is it bad to over supplement, like giving them additional vitamins to hopefully overcome this, although they may not need all the extra vitamins?
Any input is welcome! Thank you!
