calcium in water, possible deficiency?

[PinkHairGirl]

My one chicken is not walking well, she walks or hobbles a little and then collapses, she eats sitting down
She does not appear unwell in any other way and is still eating and pooping normally.

I took her to the vet who gave her antibiotics and then wanted to check with a colleague who works with chickens more, the verdict is that it is either a virus or a calcium deficiency.
She does not think it is a virus as Gertie is not unwell in any other regard and eating well.

So she is going for calcium injections and she suggested to supplement the water for the others with calcium. Any one done this before? How much calcium do I put in the water and the human calcium that I have comes with magnesium is that okay or should it be just calcium?

they are 3 1/3 months old and we got them at a fete and it turns out the laying chicks we got are actually broilers but they are the kids pets so we do what we can to look after them well
They have a coop and I feed them mixed chicken stage 2 food that I get from the pet shop
they free range at least twice a day for over and hour each time

No idea if they will ever lay but we know we can't eat them, we just want to do what is best for them

 

[dawg53]

Here's a link regarding calcium deficiency and how to treat: Posts #6 and #7.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=213099

 

[Animalian]

Is she getting enough direct sunlight? exposure to the sun lets provides the vitamin D which is essential in order for them to absorb the calcium.

Also is she overweight? Well... she'd be pretty fat anyway being a broiler, right? They're prone to leg problems because they grow so fast, they're full grown chickens on soft boned chick legs...

 

[CMV]

Actually, the best thing you can do for all involved is to find them a new home and get some layers. When you say "broilers" I am assuming you are talking about CXs (Cornish Cross- big fat white chickens sometimes with a little color bleeding through the white). The leg problems are the just the tip of the iceberg. CXs are genetically engineered to grow as large as rapidly as possible. They reach their full size in 8-9 weeks, which makes them ideal for a meat producing bird. However, there are a few downsides to this- their organs are garbage especially their hearts which are often mushy and oversized, they cannot handle stress (too cold, too hot, ran out of water for 5 minutes=dead birds), they have leg issues because they are so huge and their muscles are so weak, they have a very short life span, they cannot roost, they must be kept on a strict diet for life... The list goes on and on. These birds are going to break your childrens' hearts. They are not meant for the long haul. Do yourselves a favor and get some nice layers. You will be able to love and appreciate them for many years to come while getting delicious eggs, too.

Good luck.

 

[bairo]

Dawg would probably know better, and I cant see the bird in person of course. I am very surprised though that this vet with more chicken experience said it was calcium. Even if it was, by the time they are bow legged its too late. The damage is done. Calcium works to strengthen bones over time, it is not like taking an aspirin that is going to have an immediate effect. The only thing I know calcium will work fairly quickly on is egg problems. Thats because the egg cycle is quick.....bone growth does not happen over night like eggs production does.
At any rate...i am not in the habit of putting down vets. I do have to say though that you may want to ask for advice on byc first and then weigh what sounds more right to you. If you have a fast growing broiler, then it basically out grew its legs. Happens all the time. That is your problem more than likely. All the tums in the word wont help that.

PS. Those chickens were genetically modified to be slaughtered under the age of 12 weeks. You have acquired a commercial meat chicken. I'll be blunt....the best thing for all involved is to put them down.

 

[PinkHairGirl]

They are apparently not Cornish X, I don't have pictures on this computer, I did post pictures a while back when they were much younger and I think the consensus here was that they where white rocks

The vet said that she was weak and that was making her sit down all the time rather than too fat, she said she was a big chicken but not too fat.
Today when I took her in for her calcium shot she was a lot better and about to stand more and the vet was happy with her improvement. She thought it might just be a self limiting virus or something that had responded to the antibiotics

 

[PinkHairGirl]

Quote:
I think they get enough sun, we live in South Africa and it is summer at the moment so lots of sun and they free range a lot of the time