Meriks or vitamin b definceny

Pics
Date sort Score sort
ChickNanny13 said:
Yikes, was not aware you were referring to a duck :rolleyes: I'm not sure about ducks, I raise chickens. Think from what I've read the niacin is important for their health. Let's tag some that may know ....

:bow @WVduckchick @casportpony @BantyChooks
Thank you all in advance for any help here :hugs
EDITED: Just figured out the duck is @aflacmy3rdson not the OP

The OP is @Peoples - Pretty girl you got, I would start her on Nutri Drench, treat for a Riboflavin deficiency for a few days & see how she responds. I've also used the baby vitamin PolyVisol without the iron (1 drop 3x day), I would stop the treats for now....I learned too much treat diminishes the nutritional & vitamin contents of their feed.
Click to expand...
Duck.post no mine. I have a chicken
 
Thanks chick nanny. Does her poop and general self look ok? I woke her up.from her slumber for photo op and late night snack which she engaged in.
ChickNanny13 said:
Realized that after, so edited my last post, recommended aflacmy3rdson start her/his own thread, less confusing. Those that I tagged would still be able to help with advice, they're good with all their experience. Hang in there ...
Click to expand...
 
There is no way for us to know whether it is vitamin deficiency or Marek's. The likelihood is that it is the latter. It is common for flock mates to attack them when they have Marek's. Timing wise from adding new members to the flock and the outbreak is pretty much spot on and the fact that she is the smallest is usually telling as Marek's birds are usually undersize.

It will do no harm to supplement with a vitamin B complex and maybe even do some good even if it is Marek's and you are doing the right thing in putting her outside on grass near the others whenever you can(when weather is fine) and encouraging her to walk/crawl about a little. These are all things that appear to have helped my Marek's birds. I don't think the grass is high in B vitamins but it certainly does contain vitamins and trace nutrients which benefit many grazing animals, particularly at this time of year when it is actively growing again. In the equine world it is referred to as DR Grass for good reason.
She might benefit from a chicken sling or hammock if she is struggling to keep herself upright when she is not outside on the grass. They can be made very simply from everyday things..... see below
sling 2.png

Empty yoghurt pots can be clipped to the front of the box for food and water so that she can access them easily herself. The fabric should be adjusted so that her feet just touch the bottom otherwise they sometimes panic. Her vent can be left overhanging the material or a wider strip of fabric can be used and a hole cut out under her vent so that poop drops through to reduce/prevent her soiling herself. Some birds seem to be comfortable in a sling, others are not happy. Do not persevere if she is unsettled by it. Stress will make her symptoms worse if it is Marek's.

I have had some birds recover from an outbreak of Marek's as quickly as they went down with it, some take months to recover and sadly some don't make it. Keeping them eating is important. I have found that adding medication to their feed (turmeric, St Johns Wort etc) just puts them off eating it and once they stop eating it is a downhill progression, so I don't bother and I am not convinced of the efficacy of such treatments anyway. Keeping them happy and tempting them with healthy/wholesome treats to keep their interest in food is important. Scrambled egg, cottage cheese, a bit of meat (little slivers of raw liver is good) a bit of fish, some cat food even a little bread soaked in butter milk and maybe mixed into their regular feed made into a wet mash or better still fermented. Fermenting their feed produces good bacteria which support the gut which means that they are better able to digest their food and benefit from it's nutrients and it is very easy to do. But if you don't ferment, a probiotic or natural bio yoghurt may also be beneficial. Giving a broad spectrum vitamin supplement like Nutri Drench or Poultry Cell either mixed into their food or a few drops direct dosed into their beak (they will not drink much water if they are getting wet/sloppy food so putting it in their water may mean they don't get enough) each day ensures they get everything they need. Many people stress the importance of sick birds getting their regular feed but if they will not eat it and they will eat other things then it is more important that they eat something than nothing.... just try to angle it towards mostly healthy treats and the vitamin supplement takes care of their micro nutritional needs. If you are feeding anything that needs breaking down like meat, grains(again soaked or fermented grains are preferable to dry whole grains for sick birds) etc, don't forget to offer grit in her hospital cage.

Good luck with her. If she does recover from this outbreak, she will be at risk of secondary attacks in the future but those could be weeks, months or even years later..... the disease has dormant phases.... but she will always have the disease and you must assume your other birds have already been exposed and be carriers. Some may become symptomatic like her usually at times of stress, but many will not.
 
rebrascora said:
There is no way for us to know whether it is vitamin deficiency or Marek's. The likelihood is that it is the latter. It is common for flock mates to attack them when they have Marek's. Timing wise from adding new members to the flock and the outbreak is pretty much spot on and the fact that she is the smallest is usually telling as Marek's birds are usually undersize.

It will do no harm to supplement with a vitamin B complex and maybe even do some good even if it is Marek's and you are doing the right thing in putting her outside on grass near the others whenever you can(when weather is fine) and encouraging her to walk/crawl about a little. These are all things that appear to have helped my Marek's birds. I don't think the grass is high in B vitamins but it certainly does contain vitamins and trace nutrients which benefit many grazing animals, particularly at this time of year when it is actively growing again. In the equine world it is referred to as DR Grass for good reason.
She might benefit from a chicken sling or hammock if she is struggling to keep herself upright when she is not outside on the grass. They can be made very simply from everyday things..... see below
View attachment 1532834
Empty yoghurt pots can be clipped to the front of the box for food and water so that she can access them easily herself. The fabric should be adjusted so that her feet just touch the bottom otherwise they sometimes panic. Her vent can be left overhanging the material or a wider strip of fabric can be used and a hole cut out under her vent so that poop drops through to reduce/prevent her soiling herself. Some birds seem to be comfortable in a sling, others are not happy. Do not persevere if she is unsettled by it. Stress will make her symptoms worse if it is Marek's.

I have had some birds recover from an outbreak of Marek's as quickly as they went down with it, some take months to recover and sadly some don't make it. Keeping them eating is important. I have found that adding medication to their feed (turmeric, St Johns Wort etc) just puts them off eating it and once they stop eating it is a downhill progression, so I don't bother and I am not convinced of the efficacy of such treatments anyway. Keeping them happy and tempting them with healthy/wholesome treats to keep their interest in food is important. Scrambled egg, cottage cheese, a bit of meat (little slivers of raw liver is good) a bit of fish, some cat food even a little bread soaked in butter milk and maybe mixed into their regular feed made into a wet mash or better still fermented. Fermenting their feed produces good bacteria which support the gut which means that they are better able to digest their food and benefit from it's nutrients and it is very easy to do. But if you don't ferment, a probiotic or natural bio yoghurt may also be beneficial. Giving a broad spectrum vitamin supplement like Nutri Drench or Poultry Cell either mixed into their food or a few drops direct dosed into their beak (they will not drink much water if they are getting wet/sloppy food so putting it in their water may mean they don't get enough) each day ensures they get everything they need. Many people stress the importance of sick birds getting their regular feed but if they will not eat it and they will eat other things then it is more important that they eat something than nothing.... just try to angle it towards mostly healthy treats and the vitamin supplement takes care of their micro nutritional needs. If you are feeding anything that needs breaking down like meat, grains(again soaked or fermented grains are preferable to dry whole grains for sick birds) etc, don't forget to offer grit in her hospital cage.

Good luck with her. If she does recover from this outbreak, she will be at risk of secondary attacks in the future but those could be weeks, months or even years later..... the disease has dormant phases.... but she will always have the disease and you must assume your other birds have already been exposed and be carriers. Some may become symptomatic like her usually at times of stress, but many will not.
Click to expand...
Wow wee, what an excellent post...on so many levels. I woke up and couldn’t go back to sleep tonight so I started reading BYC and boy am I glad I did! It is information like this, and all the little side notes, that can be used for so many differing scenarios. Now just if my pea brain can hold it all in reserve. Thank you, thank you, @rebrascora. This should get the OP on the right track for sure.
 
rebrascora said:
There is no way for us to know whether it is vitamin deficiency or Marek's. The likelihood is that it is the latter. It is common for flock mates to attack them when they have Marek's. Timing wise from adding new members to the flock and the outbreak is pretty much spot on and the fact that she is the smallest is usually telling as Marek's birds are usually undersize.

It will do no harm to supplement with a vitamin B complex and maybe even do some good even if it is Marek's and you are doing the right thing in putting her outside on grass near the others whenever you can(when weather is fine) and encouraging her to walk/crawl about a little. These are all things that appear to have helped my Marek's birds. I don't think the grass is high in B vitamins but it certainly does contain vitamins and trace nutrients which benefit many grazing animals, particularly at this time of year when it is actively growing again. In the equine world it is referred to as DR Grass for good reason.
She might benefit from a chicken sling or hammock if she is struggling to keep herself upright when she is not outside on the grass. They can be made very simply from everyday things..... see below
View attachment 1532834
Empty yoghurt pots can be clipped to the front of the box for food and water so that she can access them easily herself. The fabric should be adjusted so that her feet just touch the bottom otherwise they sometimes panic. Her vent can be left overhanging the material or a wider strip of fabric can be used and a hole cut out under her vent so that poop drops through to reduce/prevent her soiling herself. Some birds seem to be comfortable in a sling, others are not happy. Do not persevere if she is unsettled by it. Stress will make her symptoms worse if it is Marek's.

I have had some birds recover from an outbreak of Marek's as quickly as they went down with it, some take months to recover and sadly some don't make it. Keeping them eating is important. I have found that adding medication to their feed (turmeric, St Johns Wort etc) just puts them off eating it and once they stop eating it is a downhill progression, so I don't bother and I am not convinced of the efficacy of such treatments anyway. Keeping them happy and tempting them with healthy/wholesome treats to keep their interest in food is important. Scrambled egg, cottage cheese, a bit of meat (little slivers of raw liver is good) a bit of fish, some cat food even a little bread soaked in butter milk and maybe mixed into their regular feed made into a wet mash or better still fermented. Fermenting their feed produces good bacteria which support the gut which means that they are better able to digest their food and benefit from it's nutrients and it is very easy to do. But if you don't ferment, a probiotic or natural bio yoghurt may also be beneficial. Giving a broad spectrum vitamin supplement like Nutri Drench or Poultry Cell either mixed into their food or a few drops direct dosed into their beak (they will not drink much water if they are getting wet/sloppy food so putting it in their water may mean they don't get enough) each day ensures they get everything they need. Many people stress the importance of sick birds getting their regular feed but if they will not eat it and they will eat other things then it is more important that they eat something than nothing.... just try to angle it towards mostly healthy treats and the vitamin supplement takes care of their micro nutritional needs. If you are feeding anything that needs breaking down like meat, grains(again soaked or fermented grains are preferable to dry whole grains for sick birds) etc, don't forget to offer grit in her hospital cage.

Good luck with her. If she does recover from this outbreak, she will be at risk of secondary attacks in the future but those could be weeks, months or even years later..... the disease has dormant phases.... but she will always have the disease and you must assume your other birds have already been exposed and be carriers. Some may become symptomatic like her usually at times of stress, but many will not.
Click to expand...
Thank you rebascora. This is helpful and I will keep up the good fight as long as she does. Breaks my to see her down
 

Similar threads

C
Possible vitamin deficient rooster not getting better.
2
Replies
11
Views
747
Down Under
Down Under
pokepaws
Pekin bantam very imbalanced, trying to find the cause! (video attached!)
Replies
2
Views
453
pokepaws
pokepaws
B
11 wk Marans pullet is not walking correctly, weak, standing on legs with neck stretched out forward.
Replies
6
Views
472
Wyorp Rock
Wyorp Rock
T
Off balance, walking on "knees"
Replies
2
Views
395
Eggcessive
Eggcessive
S
    • Like
Mystery appetite, mobility, and crop issues. She’s starving herself.
Replies
8
Views
461
LaFleche
LaFleche

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom