Rickets

[9red2blk]

I have one chick with rickets. Called hatchery and they said to get Vita Pack. Would like to know what to know what to do with the sic ckick.
Bob
In North west ind

 

[naturemom]

I was just going to post about rickets, too. I think my OEGB hen has it. I know she needs vitamin D, but where do I get it and how much do I give?

 

[cookinmom]

Not to sound dumb, but what causes a chicken to get rickets? I hadn't heard of this before, and want to know what to look out for.

 

[silkiechicken]

rickets is a calcium defficency, this can be caused by lack of calcium, or lack of vit d so they can't adsorb it. It causes bones to be basically mushy and not forming correctly.

 

[dlhunicorn]

there are two "sorts" :
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/diseaseinfo/124/rickets-hypophosphataemic
(hypophosphataemic)
..."Phosphorus deficiency in chickens, turkeys and duck is seen worldwide. Some countries have regulations governing the use of phosphorus in fertiliser with a view to reducing water pollution. This has led feed manufacturers to try various approaches to reduce added phosphorus in diets. Intestinal diseases may reduce absorption. Even subclinical levels of this condition can predispose to Femoral Head Necrosis.

Signs

Lameness.
Hock swelling.
Soft bones and beak.
Birds go off legs.
Poor growth.
Enlarged hocks.
Birds rest squatting.
Reduction in bodyweight. "

http://www.thepoultrysite.com/diseaseinfo/123/rickets-hypocalcaemic
(hypocalcaemic)
..."Vitamin D deficiency or phosphorus/calcium imbalance is seen in chickens, turkeys and ducks worldwide.

Signs:
Lameness.
Hock swelling.
Soft bones and beak.
Birds go off legs.
Poor growth.
Birds rest squatting.
Reduction in bodyweight. "

 

[naturemom]

Hmmmm.......
I've read in lots of places now to give 3 times th normal amount of Vit. D, but nowhere says what the normal amount is?!?!?!

 

[dlhunicorn]

POLYVISOL childrens vitamins has vit D in it ...give three drops of that for a week and then taper off...

 

[cookinmom]

So will offering oyster shell free choice and allowing them sunlight (for the vit D part) be sufficient in preventing rickets?

 

[dlhunicorn]

calcium problems isnt "just" a shortage of calcium or sunlight , and once they have a deficiency it is not always able to be corrected by those measures...sometimes it is systemic also ...sometimes it is a disturbance of the calcium/phospherus ratio... sometimes as a result of something else going on (diseease/stress etc) whereby malabsorption issues are occuring (so even though the bird is eating "enough" they are unable to utilize the nutrients out of the feed)... if you can possibley do so, giving a good poultry vitamin regularly (especially in the summer with the heat) will help your bird immensely.

 

[mipsy6]

I know this is an old thread, but I'm wondering if anyone who has had a chicken with rickets--or a problem that looked like rickets--and has been able to cure her? If so, I'd love to hear your story, and specifically what you did and how long it took for your chicken to be better.

My pullet is about 4 months old and has recently gotten wobbly legs. She's also been developing more slowly than her sister (we have 2 Rhode Island Reds). I looked closely at her legs, and she hasn't got any injuries I can see and seems happy other than the leg wobble. So, it seems like it's probably a vitamin/calcium deficiency, but I'm not sure. Mostly I'm just worried about my chicken and hoping that with love and attention she'll get better.

From reading this board and other places, I have gathered that treating her with a liquid pediatric multi-vitamin and feeding her yogurt are recommended. We gave her a big dose of the liquid vitamins this morning and a small plate of plain yogurt, so hopefully that will help some. I'm still not sure how MUCH vitamin to give her--a child does is 1ML per day--so any insight on that would be great. And how long we should supplement her diet.

Any insight from someone who has gone through this would be so helpful--especially if you managed to get your chicken healthy again. My chicken is still able to stand a little so I am hoping I caught it soon enough to cure her.