Rooster Questions - feed, B12 deficiency, illness?

[Rick&Chris]

I would get some human super b complex tablets. Give him a tablet crushed in a spoonful of water, and squirt it in his beak a couple of times a day. He needs more b vitamins that include riboflavin, and b complex has all of them including riboflavin and b12. B12 has only b12, and chicken‘s leg issues can be related to riboflavin more so than b12.

This is what I’m giving him - 1/2cc injected. Should I switch? What about the girls? Should I give super b complex them too?

 

[Eggcessive]

You can give that orally instead of injecting it 1/4 to 1/2 ml daily by mouth. I would only give it to the one with symptoms, as long as they are getting a balanced chicken feed. Is your feed fresh dated? I tend to stay with the major brands, and get them as fresh as possible. Vitamins can leech out if feed is used too long.

 

[Rick&Chris]

You can give that orally instead of injecting it 1/4 to 1/2 ml daily by mouth. I would only give it to the one with symptoms, as long as they are getting a balanced chicken feed. Is your feed fresh dated? I tend to stay with the major brands, and get them as fresh as possible. Vitamins can leech out if feed is used too long.

It is fresh feed from a local feed mill. I thought it was 18% protein, but it’s only 15%. Pic of label attached.

I was told injecting was better than giving orally.

 

[Perris]

if you use and pay for a vet's advice, as you did, and s/he spoke with you and inspected the bird and prescribed something for it, I would follow the vet's advice, which was that solution injected IM was it not?

Should that be the only water I give them? No plain water at all?

My advice is: If you want to start adding supplements to the water, you should at least leave one bowl of plain fresh water for your birds to drink, so that they are not forced by thirst to consume assorted home brews on the advice of random people who happened to respond to this thread, whose intentions may be excellent but whose knowledge and wisdom is unknown.

 

[Eggcessive]

Injecting will only be absorbed more quickly. Oral b complex is just fine and safer/easier. It is absorbed into the gut daily. I don’t like to inject chickens, since it can cause scar tissue and irritation in the breast muscle.

I would consider changing your feed to a major brand. I have used Purina, Nutrina, and Kalmbach with good results. You cannget 18% layer or 20% all flock feed. With all flock, good for mixed flocks with hens, roosters, and chicks of different ages, you will also need to put out a container of crushed oyster shell for the egg layers.

 

[FunClucks]

Idk why I only saw the Purina here in crumble.

They only have it where I live in crumble too. I put in in my ratproof chicken feeders and they don't spill it. When I get enough dust in the bottom of the feeder, I spoon it out and make a wet mash with it, and they think its the best treat ever. They won't eat the dust dry, but that's where all the vitamins are.