scratchkid
In the Brooder
- Oct 1, 2020
- 12
- 4
- 16
My rooster seems to be showing all the signs of a vitamin E deficiency -- waving his head (earliest symptom), slightly wry neck (especially when moving his head down, i.e. to drink or eat), moving in an uncoordinated way (going in circles somewhat), getting lost from the others (not bullied at all). I figure it's a dietary issue since I've lagged behind in supplying them with the more nutritional mash I usually supply them with, giving them more scratch feed than I realize now that I should.
He isn't stumbling (other than when climbing or descending something), and he does get his beak to find its way to food by touch, but the odd thing is that none of the other chickens are showing any signs of any illness. My guess is that, since he has a kinder and more generous character than the others, he's been saving the food for the others in lieu of his own needs. Might be my imagination, though.
I've been trying to help this out a little before I'm able to buy more mash feed, trying to get him to eat a paste-like mix I've made out of ground sunflower seeds and water and a little Vitamin E oil supplements I had on hand. Besides anything I might be doing wrong, will he recover? Or is the damage already permanent?
He isn't stumbling (other than when climbing or descending something), and he does get his beak to find its way to food by touch, but the odd thing is that none of the other chickens are showing any signs of any illness. My guess is that, since he has a kinder and more generous character than the others, he's been saving the food for the others in lieu of his own needs. Might be my imagination, though.
I've been trying to help this out a little before I'm able to buy more mash feed, trying to get him to eat a paste-like mix I've made out of ground sunflower seeds and water and a little Vitamin E oil supplements I had on hand. Besides anything I might be doing wrong, will he recover? Or is the damage already permanent?