won't drink electrolytes

[Chicks4fun2]

Hi all, I have a chicken with what seems to be a sprained ankle and she is eating and drinking water verashiously, but won't touch her vitamin water! I was told to give her some vitamin b to narrow down the sickness it could be. but she won't drink it! any suggestions... I tried only putting the vitamin water in with her (she is separated from the flock) but I'm worried she will get dehydrated.! has anyone had this problem before... could the electrolytes be bad?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

They probably don't taste very well. I have no advice though. Hopefully she can get better without them.

 

[RattleCan]

Birds have little to no sense of taste (that's why people readily feed them cayenne pepper to increase egg production and quality... and they love it!) so that shouldn't have anything to do with it. I've never had a bird not drink because of the color of the water either. You said she was drinking voraciously at first, is she just filled up now? Give her some time, keep her away from your other birds and make sure the only water she has access to is the vitamin water and she will eventually drink it. Depending on what vitamins you're giving her, you could also use a tiny syringe to put a couple drops directly into her mouth 2-3 times a day as well. In the past, I have used Poly-Vi-Sol without iron as a source of vitamins and diluted Gatorade as an emergency source of electrolytes when I didn't have any around. Electrolytes/Gatorade don't need to be used unless she becomes inactive, lethargic, or stops eating and drinking. The vitamins should help with leg recovery though if it isn't too badly damaged. Like I said, just make sure the vitamin water is the only water she has and maybe try to give her a few drops directly a couple times a day for about a week. Don't worry, as long as she is in high enough spirits to keep eating and drinking, she will eventually drink the vitamin water.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

I use vitamin/electrolyte supplement on new chicks and on hottest days of summer. For new chicks it aids in perking them up so they feed. In my opinion the feed is what animals need so use the mix as a energy boost to get them eating. Heat of summer requires multiple changing of cold water a day. Mid day cold water change I use the mix.

Never had a problem with birds not drinking the mix. If for some reason you are just give her clean water. As long as she's eating well that's whats most important. Plenty of vitamins and health benefits in poultry feed.