Vitamin A deficency

[Toetwo]

Hello,

In my six years of chicken life, I have had 29 chickens. Six have died of cancer. The vet tells me it is a Vitamin A deficiency. I am waiting for my favorite hen to die (of cancer) and now my room (who is a jerk but still. . . ) has broken tail feathers and his beak seems to be peeling. I assume all this, too, is a deficency.

They are free range. And get mealy worms. They also get Feather Booster. This is new as of about six months ago. Before that, they got organic feed.

They hate it when I add vitamin stuff to their water.

I have six new Icelandics (!!) and am convinced that all the girls (and boy) are doomed. A house call vet suggested they might have a virus (?) that all chickens have but if they are old or compromised, it can take them out.

Not to embarrass the girls, but they often get ahem dirty bums.

How -- if they are free range and happily tucking into big fat earthworms and greens galore, do I get them over this deficiency? Or do I just rehome them all. Which I hesitate to do because what if they do have some disease?

Oh, we live in southern NH.


Thank you.

Toe

 

[Mosey2003]

Are you saying they aren't getting feed besides whatever "Feather Booster" is? Is that an actual complete feed, or a supplement? If it were me and I had a solid diagnosis of Vitamin A deficiency, I would get a good complete feed (like an All Flock or even Layer) and confine them and feed only that for awhile. Wouldn't hurt to add a Vitamin A supplement to the water, too. If they don't like drinking it, you can put a small amount of molasses in too.