One month old chick losing muscle tone?

[MamasaurusJess]

I have 13 bantam chicks that are almost one month old (a couple different breeds). We hatched them at home and they’ve all seemed fine and healthy. Yesterday I noticed one seemed to be having a little trouble moving. I picked it up and it moved both legs and I couldn’t find an injury of any kind. Then this afternoon I notice it isn’t really walking at all. It kind of drags itself when it needs to move and just lays down. I picked it up again and I don’t know how to describe it right but when I turn it over it’s body just feels “soft?” It’s feet and legs don’t really seem to have any tone to them. It doesn’t cry when I move it around so I don’t think it’s injured but I’m a little shocked that it seems to be deteriorating so quickly. Any ideas for how I can improve him? Vitamin deficiency? A disease that could potentially be contagious? He’s still in with the other chicks as they mostly leave him alone and he is able to drag himself to food and water.

 

[azygous]

Actually, you're not far off the mark. A riboflavin deficiency can cause these symptoms. Get some B-1 or just give her a little bit of a B-complex tablet each day.

This is only one of the most obvious guesses. There could be other reasons not so obvious. But treating the chick with B-vitamins can't hurt.

 

[MamasaurusJess]

Actually, you're not far off the mark. A riboflavin deficiency can cause these symptoms. Get some B-1 or just give her a little bit of a B-complex tablet each day.

This is only one of the most obvious guesses. There could be other reasons not so obvious. But treating the chick with B-vitamins can't hurt.

Thank you! This may be a dumb question because I’m fairly new to chicken raising but is there a special formula of b vitamins for chicken or birds or just animals in general?

 

[azygous]

B-vitamins are just B-vitamins. I just buy mine from the vitamin aisle at Walmart. I'm treating a hen right now with B-100 complex, and she gets the whole tabet once a day directly into her beak. You might figure out a more convenient way to dose a small chick. Bs are water soluble so you can dissolve the tablet in water.

 

[Sally PB]

I hope to hear your chick is better in a couple days...
Sending positive waves and hugs.

 

[Eggcessive]

I usually recommend super b complex 1/4 tablet daily, crushed into a spoonful of water or food. It is hard to overdose. Don’t get B12 by mistake because that does not have all b vitamins. I would alao take the chick aside and feed a little wet chick feed and some scrambled egg or tuna to get it eating.