How do I treat thiamine deficiency?

[CharmingChickens]

I suspect my pullet has Thiamine deficiency and I have no idea on how to treat her, please help me!

 

[nuthatched]

What are you seeing?
400 i.u vitamin E and a third of a B complex tablet every day is how you usually treat vitamin deficiency.

 

[CharmingChickens]

What are you seeing?
400 i.u vitamin E and a third of a B complex tablet every day is how you usually treat vitamin deficiency.

Here’s a video of her from two days ago she can still walk but had terrible balance in the back and constantly falls over.

Her condition is still the same, but something else has happened that made her much worse. I assumed she would be fine with her flock mates but I was wrong, Somebody started bullying her, she started bleeding and the whole flock started getting her. I was not home at the time and had no idea what happened until I went to put them to bed and she was covered in blood shivering. Now the poor girl has no balance and can’t even open her eyes. She can’t even walk at this point but I don’t know if it’s because she can’t see. But from judging her original condition before she got attacked, it seemed like a vitamin deficiency and I assumed thiamine. I don’t think she had mareks disease because she can still move her legs and stuff.

 

[CharmingChickens]

I just want to add, yesterday before her injury she could still walk just the same as shown in the video. After her injury she can’t even stand up. I don’t know if it’s because she currently can’t see. I really hope her eyes aren’t injured at all, but as of now she can’t open them. She drinks water, but is struggling to eat because she can’t see food. I made scarmbled eggs because she wouldn’t eat normal chicken food, and put it up to her beak, she ate some but not much.

 

[CharmingChickens]

Here’s a before and after picture. Poor girl.

She always had to have something behind her or she falls over. Also as I took these photos she ate a bunch of egg.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Any lice or mites on the bird?

What are you feeding?

I'd start giving 1/2 tablet B-Complex daily. The B-Complex contains B2(Riboflavin) which is what you want for leg support.

I'd feed a 20% Chick Starter or an All Flock feed.

 

[Eggcessive]

Sorry about your hen. I also recommend the super B Complex tablets for treating her leg issue. It contains riboflavin ( b2) and all other b’s. Get it at any drugstore or where vitamins are sold.

She probably was attacked and scalped because of her problems walking. Bullies will pick on weaker birds, and any red blood will attract more pecking. Keep her separated while she is recovering. Clean her wounds and eyes with saline. You can make some with a quart of water and 2 tsp of salt. Apply either Terramycin eye ointment or Neosporin to her eyes twice a day after cleaning any crust or gunk.

If you can make a watery mash of chicken feed, water, and a little egg, that would be good to feed her up to her beak, several times a day. Hold water up to her beak as well. Tube feeding 2-3 times a day could also be done if you want to learn how. It may take a few days to see if her eyes were damaged.

 

[CharmingChickens]

Any lice or mites on the bird?

What are you feeding?

I'd start giving 1/2 tablet B-Complex daily. The B-Complex contains B2(Riboflavin) which is what you want for leg support.

I'd feed a 20% Chick Starter or an All Flock feed.

No lice. She eats layer feed, which is not ideal but what my parents get. I'll see if I can get a 20% Chick Starter or an All Flock feed.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Great advice above.

I'll add one further suggestion. Encourage your parents to start an account here on BYC to share your hobby with you. We're happy to help, and might be able to clear up some misconceptions many have about layer feed, or to help find better priced alternatives to your current feed regimen.

Good luck with your hen. Sadly, chickens are prey animals - when one of the flock is obviously injured/ill, its quite common for them to gang up on the thing - whether sacrificing it to a potential predator or simply forcibly excluding a potential disease vector from the flock. From a survival of the species standpoint, it makes perfect sense - the details of the process (as shared above) aren't so neatly packaged.

Quarantine while treating, then a see and be seen reintroduction, should be by your guideposts.

 

[Kiki]

You just recently had a bird that you put down that has issues with balance/ and her legs.
You should think about getting a necropsy done, if you lose this bird, to see if you are indeed dealing with Marek's disease.


Maine
https://extension.umaine.edu/veterinarylab/