How do I treat thiamine deficiency?

[CharmingChickens]

Sorry about your hen. I also recommend the super B Complex tablets for treating her leg issue. It contains riboflavin ( b2) and all other b’s. Get it at any drugstore or where vitamins are sold.

She probably was attacked and scalped because of her problems walking. Bullies will pick on weaker birds, and any red blood will attract more pecking. Keep her separated while she is recovering. Clean her wounds and eyes with saline. You can make some with a quart of water and 2 tsp of salt. Apply either Terramycin eye ointment or Neosporin to her eyes twice a day after cleaning any crust or gunk.

If you can make a watery mash of chicken feed, water, and a little egg, that would be good to feed her up to her beak, several times a day. Hold water up to her beak as well. Tube feeding 2-3 times a day could also be done if you want to learn how. It may take a few days to see if her eyes were Damanged.

Does it matter what type of salt I use, I can only find pickling and canning.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Pickling and canning salt should both sodium chloride (what we call table salt), only without the added iodine (sometimes) or anti-caking agents (sometimes) added to table salt. Any can be used, though its much harder to accurately measure a teaspoon with them unless you crush or grind them first.

 

[CharmingChickens]

Is there anything I can feed her to somewhat do something to help with the thiamine deficiency besides the tablets? I'm worried shes getting worse and I can't get them today and I might not be able to tomorrow. I will try to get them asap but as of now I haven't treated The Thiamine deficiency at all!

 

[Kiki]

Is there anything I can feed her to somewhat do something to help with the thiamine deficiency besides the tablets? I'm worried shes getting worse and I can't get them today and I might not be able to tomorrow. I will try to get them asap but as of now I haven't treated The Thiamine deficiency at all!

If she has been eating chicken feed it is highly unlikely that she has a thiamine deficiency.

Sunflower seeds have thiamine.
Tuna fish.

 

[CharmingChickens]

If she has been eating chicken feed it is highly unlikely that she has a thiamine deficiency.

Sunflower seeds have thiamine.
Tuna fish.

Thanks for the tips! You're probably right but I'm still going to treat her for it. I thought it may be because she eats layer feed and shes only aprx 4 months old. I still don't think its mareks because, she still moves her wings and legs she just has no balance. and nobody else in her flock have shown a single symptom. The hen you were talking about earlier has never made contact with this young flock, If that makes a difference. If it is mareks I can't do anything about it so I'm going to hope its not and treat her for whatever else it could possibly be.

 

[Kiki]

Thanks for the tips! You're probably right but I'm still going to treat her for it. I thought it may be because she eats layer feed and shes only aprx 4 months old. I still don't think its mareks because, she still moves her wings and legs she just has no balance. and nobody else in her flock have shown a single symptom. The hen you were talking about earlier has never made contact with this young flock, If that makes a difference. If it is mareks I can't do anything about it so I'm going to hope its not and treat her for whatever else it could possibly be.

Layer feed would not cause her to have a thiamine deficiency.

Marek's doesn't automatically mean she can't use her wings and legs.

It also doesn't matter if this bird was never around the last bird...if it is marek's disease it's in your dirt....air...blows around your yard and it's every where already.


I hope she gets better for you.
Do you have tuna fish in the pantry?

Mix a big spoonful with a big spoonful of the layer feed and see if you can encourage her to eat it....often.

She should be eating at least 1/2 cup worth of chicken feed a day so start measuring what you are offering her so you can be sure of what she is or isn't eating.

A full grown non injured hen should eat about 3/4 cup worth of feed.

 

[Eggcessive]

Table salt or any sodium chloride is all you need to make saline.

 

[CharmingChickens]

Just fed her some tuna fish mixed with her normal feed. She ate a little bit. You can tell she wants to eat she is just struggling with not being able to see her food.

 

[Kiki]

Just fed her some tuna fish mixed with her normal feed. She ate a little bit. You can tell she wants to eat she is just struggling with not being able to see her food.

Good job.

Hold the dish up to her beak often.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

She drinks water, but is struggling to eat because she can’t see food. I made scarmbled eggs because she wouldn’t eat normal chicken food, and put it up to her beak, she ate some but not much.

No lice. She eats layer feed, which is not ideal but what my parents get. I'll see if I can get a 20% Chick Starter or an All Flock feed.

Does it matter what type of salt I use, I can only find pickling and canning.

Is there anything I can feed her to somewhat do something to help with the thiamine deficiency besides the tablets? I'm worried shes getting worse and I can't get them today and I might not be able to tomorrow. I will try to get them asap but as of now I haven't treated The Thiamine deficiency at all!

Thanks for the tips! You're probably right but I'm still going to treat her for it. I thought it may be because she eats layer feed and shes only aprx 4 months old. I still don't think its mareks because, she still moves her wings and legs she just has no balance. and nobody else in her flock have shown a single symptom. The hen you were talking about earlier has never made contact with this young flock, If that makes a difference. If it is mareks I can't do anything about it so I'm going to hope its not and treat her for whatever else it could possibly be.

Again, you want B2(Riboflavin) for leg support.
Thiamine (B1) is essential as well, but Thiamine Deficiency looks like neurologial problems (tremors, stargazing, etc.).
The B-Complex usually contains all the B Vitamins (there are 8 of them), so if you can get that, it will get the B1 and B2 into her.

In the meantime, if you have Beef (especially liver), Salmon or some quality plain yogurt, you can give her 1 Tablespoon of one of these daily to help give her a boost.
Bits of egg would also be good to give.

Work on hydration, get her drinking, then see if she will take some food. The vitamins are not magic and if deficiency is the main problem with the legs, then it will take time to see improvement.

Since she's injured and has wounds, the most important things right now are to work her through shock, tend to her sores/wounds so they don't get infected and keep her hydrated.

Once she's able to see better and eat/drink on her own, then you can fiddle with what type of feed you should be feeding.

I am curious though; how long have you been feeding her layer feed?

I'd start giving 1/2 tablet B-Complex daily. The B-Complex contains B2(Riboflavin) which is what you want for leg support.