fuzzi's Chicken Journal

[fuzzi]

Could be a bit addled with a head peck.

Do you have any vitamin E or B-Complex on hand?

If possible give 400IU Vitamin E and 1/4 tablet B-Complex daily to the chick. E will helps the neurological system, B1 in the B-Complex helps with the E. The other B vitamins in the complex help with supporting legs, tissues, etc.

Hopefully there will be no more problems and the chick will come around and be o.k.

I have both B complex and E in 400IU gel tabs.

While looking for the electrolytes I also found Durvet chicken vitamins/electrolytes I bought but haven't used, see analysis:

 

[Wyorp Rock]

For all the chicks and Martha, I'd give the electrolytes in the drinking water for a couple of days as little boost.

For Little Chick that is struggling, she can of course drink that too, but I'd still pull her aside and get the E and B-Complex into her.

E of course is oil, so you may need to prick the gel cap and empty it into a tiny amount of warm water, add the 1/4 tablet of B-complex and dissolve that. Mix the best you can and then give her drops of the E/B-Complex water during the day - or when you can. She probably will only take a few drops at a time.

Either one of those electrolytes is fine to give to the chicks (and Martha) or the whole flock.
The one in the bottle comes with a little scoop. 1 Scoop to 1 gallon of water. So it's fairly dilute. If you notice, this will only deliver 9IU Vitamin E into the whole gallon of water, this is why when a chick is struggling, it's a good idea to give them the individual vitamins like I'm suggesting.

What I'm suggesting is the normal routine to give a chick that has suffered trauma to the head/neck or that is suffering from neurological symptoms like Wry Neck (which can be caused by trauma).

 

[NanaK]

If possible give 400IU Vitamin E and 1/4 tablet B-Complex daily to the chick. E will helps the neurological system, B1 in the B-Complex helps with the E. The other B vitamins in the complex help with supporting legs, tissues, etc.

I have used this remedy several times in juvenile and adult birds but wasn't sure on the dosage for a tiny baby so I did not advise. Thank you. Good to know for the future.
I am always learning something new on this site!


@fuzzi Hope LC has a much better day, today!

 

[fuzzi]

Everyone is up this morning.

They enjoyed some scrambled eggs for breakfast.

The Karens of the flock are very concerned...

I managed to get LC to swallow 2-3 drops of the E/B, but it kept shaking its head as it swallowed, and when it acted cold I put it back in with Mom.

She's got them all underneath!

Maybe it's the scrambled eggs that concerns them...?

 

[fuzzi]

Note on LC: I observed on Friday that LC had difficulty swallowing, holding its head up longer, but I can't recall if it was before or after the initial attack/injury.

This morning when I tried to administer the E/B it shook its head, as if it were trying to dislodge something from its face.


(edited to correct E/C to E/B)

 

[NanaK]

LC had difficulty swallowing, holding its head up longer

The trouble holding its head up could be a symptom of wry neck. If she (I'm calling it a "she" ) has wry neck the vit e/b complex should help.

This morning when I tried to administer the E/C it shook its head, as if it were trying to dislodge something from its face.

Maybe she is surprised by the droplet on her beak? its new to her? Lot's of new stuff in a new short life?
Was it cool? Maybe hold it tightly in your hand or against your body for a few minutes to warm it before giving it to her?
Watch her today when she eats and drinks on her own. Does she have the same reaction?

 

[fuzzi]

The trouble holding its head up could be a symptom of wry neck. If she (I'm calling it a "she" ) has wry neck the vit e/b complex should help.


Maybe she is surprised by the droplet on her beak? its new to her? Lot's of new stuff in a new short life?
Was it cool? Maybe hold it tightly in your hand or against your body for a few minutes to warm it before giving it to her?
Watch her today when she eats and drinks on her own. Does she have the same reaction?

Thanks. It held its head up fine, just didn't lower it immediately as expected. It seemed to be having a more difficult time swallowing, but I could be wrong, just observing.

I did have "her" against my chest, cupped with my left hand as I administered the drops.

It's tough being out of the egg just a couple days.

 

[NanaK]

I did have "her" against my chest

Sorry, I meant to say hold the syringe of water/vitamin drops in your hand to warm it up a bit before giving. It was chilly this morning. I was thinking the drops may have felt cold to her, hence caused her reaction.

 

[fuzzi]

I let Martha bring her chicks out into the run, under my supervision. All five came out!

I picked up LC and offered her drops of E/B, and she did much better. After putting her down on the ground she went over to Martha and started peeping. At one point she pushed underneath Martha and quieted down, she was cold. Then the others joined her.

I'm encouraged.

 

[fuzzi]

Good Momma Martha!