It depends on what you need in your vitamins.
If you have well water then have it checked to see what minerals are in it and do not over dose the birds on certain ones. They can cause liver damage and other organ failures just like in people.
The packets of vit/minerals are pretty well useless. If you feed scratch grain only they could help but feeding a good quality food such as Nutrena or something by Purina is usually much better for your birds.
I often add Dawes A-D-E that I purchase online from First State Vet. It is great for those chicks the first weeks that they do not get sunlight, only heat lamps.
Recently I had the funny thing of having put 2 Javas from a group of chicks in with a duckling for company. I added Niacin to the water every day for the duckling because of his legs. When I was able to add a ducky friend with him instead I put the Javas back into the chick brooder. I was totally amazed at the size difference of the 2 Javas next to their hatch mates!
This photo shows you what Niacin in the drinking water can do in 2 1/2 weeks. That was the absolute only difference in their brooders. Both brooders were in the same room, fed the same food and bedded the same way. Niacin was the only difference. The bigger one was the one that got the Niacin every day. The smaller one got A-D-E and vinegar/garlic 3 times a week each in the water.
I was amazed and worry what the bigger Java may have trouble with now! I hope I did not do anything to hurt them but it is B vits. so I hope I didn't do any damage.
