chicks can't walk and are slowly dying off

[Stephanie739]

Moldy hay is toxic. Is that a possibility?

 

[rbaker0345]

It sounds like Scurvy. Chickens are omnivores like people. If you decide to put a young child on a vegetarian diet, you have to add enough variety of proteins and amino acids as well as a large variety of different colored fruits and vegetables in order to make up for the fact that the child is not getting the complete proteins provided by meat. Chicks are no different (except that they can digest cell walls). If you are going to feed macrobiotically, especially to growing chicks, you need to be spot on with your nutrition. I would go back to feeding chick starter. Go into your refrigerator and get any kind of greens or bananas or some other kind of fruit and then something with a different source of protein than just soy, maybe some yogurt. Put it all in the food processor and give it to them.

 

[Matt A NC]

The off balance and lethargy together sounds like Botulism. This can be from molded hay, mold in food, or anything else they come in contact with that has mold on it.

Even if this is not the problem it is best to replace all Food and bedding immediately. Make sure the food is fresh and there is no musty smell. A good commercial starter would be best at this point.

Make sure they have plenty of fresh air and heat. I would also add a poultry Vitamin/electolyte to their waterer incase it is a deficiency in something.

Matt

 

[Erica]

Hi Farmer_Neal,

Others are spot on about vitamin and mineral shortages in the diet you're feeding. Though I'm not anywhere near being an expert I'll just explain what (to my reading) is missing. Several of these shortages can and will produce exactly the symptoms you're seeing.

Unless they're outside on pasture eating insects and accessing sunshine they're probably missing vitamins D (which helps them absorb calcium), K, and vital B vitamins from microbes like yeast or lactobacilli. Soybean feeding tends to deplete minerals so it's a fair bet their mineral (particularly calcium and phosphorus) levels are too low as well. The leg/foot problems you're seeing now may be rickets.

It's not too difficult to find additives that balance out what you're feeding, but there's a bit of reading to do. Old1940s poultry books can be great places to start. You won't save money feeding a home ration but it's quite satisfying to do it and when properly formulated the birds will never be healthier.

Best wishes,

Erica