looking for vitamin dosage for day old chick with leg problem

[TrueNorth]

Hi everyone

We just hatched our first batch of chicks over the last week and a half - 15 out of 17 hatched, 1 non-hatcher was unfertilized, and 1 apparently died in the couple days before birth as it was fully feathered/formed. We are thrilled with our results! The chicks are the product of our 2 hens and one rooster.

One of the last chicks to hatch has a leg problem. From pics on this site it appears to be the tendon issue. We *think* we can feel the problem and tell the difference when we push the tendon back into place, but we're new to this so there is some guesswork involved. We did move it into (we hope) correct position, and used vet wrap to hold it as we read here - just did it tonight so fingers crossed for this little bugger!

I read about giving vitamins being a good idea. Can someone please tell me - are the children's drops the recommended ones to give, or is that what some people use because in a pinch? We have a Tractor Supply nearby so if there is something 'better' I can run up there and get it. If the children's vitamins are just as good - what dosage do you use? Is it ok for the other chicks to have them too? This chick is in with 3 others that hatched yesterday. The others are a few days bigger so we have these little guys separate.

Thanks in advance

.... we are hoping we can help this chick!



Heather
1 husband, 2 kids, 3 dogs, 3 cats, 1 rooster, 2 hens, and *15* chicklets living happily in the woods in SW FL

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[chookchick]

The Poly-vi-sol drops work really well for young chicks (one without iron). I did just one drop a day for my little one (actually I diluted to half strength and did one drop two times per day). You just pick the chick up and hold the dropper by their beak. You will see them take the drop in. For my little one, I made a half-circle of hardware cloth inside the brooder, so she could be "with" the others, but safe from getting run over, with her own food and water. This worked really well, she had her own feather-duster to cuddle with.

 

[TrueNorth]

Thanks so much! I'm going to get the drops today. With the taped leg she is getting around better but still not as good as the other chicks - if that continues I'll separate her out for a bit. I was trying to avoid that but we're keeping our eyes on it! LOVE the feather duster suggestion

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