Chicks with bad legs - Can I give them B-complex?

[ydolem]

Ok, so I've got some issues with my newly hatched chicks. I have one doing weird head things, and three that have a messed up leg. Most of what I've read suggests that they need B vitamins, and thiamine. I've got a bottle of B-complex, but I'm not sure how safe it is. If it is, how much and how am I supposed to give to them?

Each tablet contains:
150 mg Vitamin C
100mg Thiamine
20mg Riboflavin
25mg Niacin
2mp Vitamin B6
400mcg Folic Acid
15mcg Vitamin B12
30mcg Biotin
5.5mg Pantothenic Acid

 

[bantyshanty]

Hi,

First of all, can you describe what the "weird head thing" is? It may be wry neck. Do a search on here for "wry neck" and you'll see some pics and descriptions.
Vit. E & Selenium is supposed to treat it, but it doesn't always work. I've not had successful treatment for it.

What are the leg problems? DO the legs splay out to the sides, or do they stand wide-legged? If so, it's called "spraddle leg",
and the best thing is to give the chicks a rough surface to walk on in the brooder (a paper towel will do), tape their legs together with a bandage if they're really wide and the chick is falling (do a search for how to do this, otherwise, try to tape them so they are parallel), and isolate the chick(s) if need be with a divider or a small cage within the brooder. You can make a small isolation cage by cutting hardware cloth into the desired size & taping it, remembering to enclose food & water with the chick & keep it near --not too near--the heat source in your brooder.

Good luck.