Roo with rickets

[cheeperchick]

Need some advice....I think my 18 wk old Delaware roo has rickets. He spends most of his time lying down and has a limpy walk. No signs of blisters on feet. legs feel warm but I'm not sure if that's from him lying down. I've read that the treatment for rickets is vitamins D and calcium, but won't too much calcium hurt roosters?

I've already treated for cocci.

 

[cheeperchick]

I also have to help him on to the roost. he sleeps on the lowest one.

 

[Eggcessive]

Here is a good link for rickets that says to give 3 times the Vitamin D or D3 for 2 weeks, plus put out side in sunshine: http://www.thepoultrysite.com/diseaseinfo/124/rickets-hypophosphataemic The calcium and phosphorus amounts only need to be normal which he should get in his feed.

 

[cheeperchick]

I'm new at raising chickens so.....is there vitamin D3 for poultry specific? Or certain things I can fee him?

 

[cheeperchick]

I've been reading about nutri-drench and how it corrects vitamin deficiencies. Would that work??

 

[Eggcessive]

I have looked up the ingredients on my chicken feed, and there is no listing for amount of D3. So I would just give him an adult sized capsule of WATER SOLUBLE Vitamin D3 or D (whichever you can find) daily for 2 weeks. Regular vitaminD is not water soluble, and it won't hurt to overdose him on water soluble--he will just pee out the excess. If you have to use regular D I would take the chance just for 2 weeks. Does he fit most of the symptoms in the link?

 

[cheeperchick]

Here is a good link for rickets that says to give 3 times the Vitamin D or D3 for 2 weeks, plus put out side in sunshine: http://www.thepoultrysite.com/diseaseinfo/124/rickets-hypophosphataemic The calcium and phosphorus amounts only need to be normal which he should get in his feed.

Ohhh ok. Got it. I'll look for Vit D in water.

 

[cheeperchick]

I have looked up the ingredients on my chicken feed, and there is no listing for amount of D3. So I would just give him an adult sized capsule of WATER SOLUBLE Vitamin D3 or D (whichever you can find) daily for 2 weeks. Regular vitaminD is not water soluble, and it won't hurt to overdose him on water soluble--he will just pee out the excess. If you have to use regular D I would take the chance just for 2 weeks. Does he fit most of the symptoms in the link?

Some of the symptoms, yes: lameness, resting by squatting, large hocks. Beak is NOT soft. His balance is not very good.

 

[Eggcessive]

It is difficult to narrow down what is wrong when they have these sorts of symptoms. I had a cockeral once similar to yours, and he started being picked on by the whole flock because of a bum leg. We had to put him down at 7 months because we couldn't figure out what was wrong and he just hid in a nest box trembling. I would keep reading up on the illnesses that I mentioned in your other thread, and treat him with the Vitamin D. Make sure he is getting a good balanced feed that is 16-20% protein. You could also try an antibiotic. Although I would probably just treat him with regular vitamin D3, I did find the water soluble here: http://blueskyvitamin.com/micellize...re-labs.html?gclid=CPG1zOnx5roCFU1gMgod1xQAUw

 

[cheeperchick]

Here's a pic of his legs I took this morning. Im going to order the vit d3 water soluble thru amazon. In the meantime, I'm gonna give him a recipe I found on another post here for rickets..plain yogurt, cooked egg yolk, oats, 1tsp honey.