Commercial feed and vitamin deficiencies

[rosemarythyme]

I bought vit E for people in a dropper bottle, so it was just a few drops on her food each day. I also did vit B complex as my bird possibly had neurological issues as well.

 

[K0k0shka]

https://www.poultryworld.net/Nutrition/Articles/2014/4/Vitamin-E-Vital-for-health-and-performance-1437326W/#:~:text=It has been shown that,immunity and more active lymphocytes.

This is a very helpful link. Seems like anywhere from 100-300 mg per kg is just fine

Very helpful indeed, thanks!

 

[K0k0shka]

I bought vit E for people in a dropper bottle, so it was just a few drops on her food each day. I also did vit B complex as my bird possibly had neurological issues as well.

Thanks!

 

[jenniferschickens]

How would I dose it though? I read that overdosing can cause some pretty serious issues in chickens...

The standard soft gel vitamin E is 400 IU - I got Nature Made softgels. This is an acceptable amount to give a chicken who has a vitamin deficiency. https://www.poultryworld.net/Nutrit...-E-Vital-for-health-and-performance-1437326W/ As far as B-Complex goes, any excess B-vitamins that the chicken doesn't need will be pooped out due to it being water soluble.

 

[K0k0shka]

The standard soft gel vitamin E is 400 IU - I got Nature Made softgels. This is an acceptable amount to give a chicken who has a vitamin deficiency. https://www.poultryworld.net/Nutrit...-E-Vital-for-health-and-performance-1437326W/ As far as B-Complex goes, any excess B-vitamins that the chicken doesn't need will be pooped out due to it being water soluble.

This is very helpful, thanks!

 

[MixedFlock23]

I’ve just gone through an old feed issue myself. I’ve read on several sites that feed should be used within 90 days of milling this time of year & 60 in the summer (if stored outside, gets hot, losing vitamins, etc) and within 4 months otherwise. I used to use Nutrena almost exclusively, but they only print the milling date on the sewn on tags and lately I’ve gotten bags (curbside pick up that my friend picked up for me) with tags ripped off! I had no idea how old that feed was, but my birds wouldn’t touch it and it was in their feeder for days, so I drove it (45 minutes one way) back and got a refund. I checked their other bags and they varied in milling dates from last week to four months old. The DuMor brand is the one that I’m using now (& have sometimes used in the past) because it has the milling date on the bottom strip. Try to use it within two months of opening it (& 4 months or less from that milling day). It’s only $12-20 for a new bag every two months. This is my new plan after dealing with sour crops and yeast overgrowth from bad feed. (I think I’ll dump two month old used feed in the woods/field for wild birds/deer, etc. )

I've given human vitamin E capsules to baby chicks before. My friend has been giving it daily to her three week old chick with neck issues (drops his head between his legs) & it’s helping her chick.
Good luck!

 

[Folly's place]

Another consideration for later; if there's a 'special needs' chick for any reason, don't include that bird in a future breeding group, ever! Only really healthy individuals need to reproduce out there, so while it's great to save every life, that bird shouldn't reproduce.
Accidental injuries, a separate issue, but 'poor doers' are who I'm talking about.
Mary

 

[K0k0shka]

Another consideration for later; if there's a 'special needs' chick for any reason, don't include that bird in a future breeding group, ever! Only really healthy individuals need to reproduce out there, so while it's great to save every life, that bird shouldn't reproduce.
Accidental injuries, a separate issue, but 'poor doers' are who I'm talking about.
Mary

Hmmm did you mean to post this to another thread?

 

[Folly's place]

Not really, because the OP had an issue with one pullet, not the group. Something similar happened here years ago, with a pullet who did have problems with an extra need.
Mary

 

[K0k0shka]

Not really, because the OP had an issue with one pullet, not the group. Something similar happened here years ago, with a pullet who did have problems with an extra need.
Mary

Oh, I see, okay. I just didn't see the connection (I'm the OP). Totally agree about that. I don't breed my chickens so it didn't even cross my mind that your comment was related to the issue at hand