Backyard Poultry Forum

I thought I would put this up as a seperate sticky for quick and easy reference.

It is a diet that Sandy came up with that is designed to give a sick bird vitamins, minerals and energy very quickly. It is high in protein and can be fed to a sick bird as a tonic. You can replace ingredients with others with similar nutrients. It's just a guide. It was initially meant for birds that have developed rickets as a result of deficiencies, but it's also very helpful for most sick birds, particularly those that haven't been eating well.

A sick bird can often be helped by the Rickets diet. Feed the birds once a day for three days or until you feel the bird is looking and acting better - usually 3 weeks.

This amount feeds one bird. Each serving consists of:

½ to 1 x cooked egg yolk… crumbled into mixture
1 teaspoon of cod liver oil..
1 very small drizzle of honey
2 x tablespoons natural yoghurt - no sugar
2 to 4 tablespoons rolled oats or Baby rice
1 dessertspoon of beef tin cat food…… Not dog food
A few grains of multi vitamin powder
2 tablespoons of grated apple..
Mix to make a crumble mixture not runny, if you have to roll into pellets and force feed, and then gently massage the neck in a downward motion to get it down into the crop, then do it, the bird may be too weak to eat or have lost the desire to eat….

Always have fresh clean water available at all time for the bird and good quality food
Feed the rickets diet in the morning. Also have her ordinary feed and fresh clean water available at all times: if it has not been fully eaten with in 12 hours throw it out... make another one the next morning.. don't add to it.. clean out the dish it was in also before adding the new mixture.

_________________
Meredith

Cinnamon is a possible additive to the rickets diet in cases where supportive care is being provided. It is a calmative that can be helpful in cases of mild diarrhea or gastro-intestinal upset. Do not, however, give cinnamon at the same time as Tetracycline. For more information about cinnamon and dosages go here:




You can use either. Your local produce or feed store would have bird vitamins, perhaps something like Soluvet. Your local pet shop would have vitamins perhaps by 'Lil friends or other brands (usually in smaller quantities but still fine), or if you have leftover kiddie vitamins (eg. Pentavite etc) that would do the job as well. Even Berocca in small quantities is fine for birds, although that's only B vitamins. Obviously the brands that are forumulated for birds are the best, but the others do the job pretty well. It doesn't have to be in granulated form either. If it's liquid you can still just add a few drops to the mix.

_________________

Backyard Poultry Forum

What about Swisse Women's Ultivite? Would I just crush one up and offer the bird a quarter?
I live out of town and am working today - I do know that my co op has bird vitamins that are for aviary birds so I can try and get in their before closing. Is the aviary bird stuff okay?

_________________
Pekin bantams and Orpingtons

In a pinch human multi-vitamins will do. The aviary bird product will be suitable.

_________________
Meredith

Thanks Stella Will grab it next time Im in town to have at hand.

_________________
Pekin bantams and Orpingtons

Hi guys,
I have a very sick chook who isn't eating. She's on antibiotics and has been wormed etc but she wont take any food. I've tried the rickets diet and she still wont take it and its proving quite difficult to force feed her. Is there a kind of liquid diet that we might be able to feed her with. She's so weak I'm not sure she'll last much longer.
Thanks guys,
Jo

_________________
Acta non verba

Hi

You have inadvertanty posted in an area known as a "sticky" area. For information only.

I can do it for you but can you post this again in the lower area which is not green as a new topic. Also copy and paste the "basic checklist: from this green section into your post and give as much information as possible. The more information you give the more we are able to help and the less we are guessing.

Cheers Mike

_________________
Retired Now. Have moved and now officially a Tuross Head resident.