One of the common issues with regard to backyard flocks relates to poor or inadequate feeding programmes that can lead to vitamin and mineral deficiencies for the birds. Vitamins and minerals are very important components of a chickens diet and unless a formulated ration is feed, it is likely that deficiencies will occur.

Poultry require all known vitamins except C. Some vitamins are soluble in fats, while others are soluble in water. Some of the symptoms of a vitamin deficiency are as follows:

Fat Soluble Vitamins Vitamin A Decreased egg production, weakness and lack of growth

Vitamin D Thin shelled eggs, reduced egg production, retarded growth, rickets

Vitamin E Enlarged hocks, encephalomalacia (crazy chick disease)

Vitamin K Prolonged blood clotting, intramuscular bleeding

Water Soluble Vitamins

Thiamine (B1) Loss of appetite and death

Riboflavin (B2) Curly-toe paralysis, poor growth and poor egg production

Pantothenic Acid Dermatitis and lesions on mouth and feet

Niacin Bowed legs, inflammation of tongue and mouth cavity

Choline Poor growth, fatty liver, decreased egg production

Vitamin B12 Anaemia, poor growth, embryonic mortality

Folic Acid Poor growth, anaemia, poor feathering and egg production

Biotin Dermatitis on feet and around eyes and beak

Minerals are also important to the health and well-being of poultry. The following are some of the important minerals and symptoms of mineral deficiencies:

Minerals

Calcium Poor egg shell quality and poor hatchability, rickets

Phosphorus Rickets, poor egg shell quality and hatchability

Magnesium Sudden death

Manganese Perosis, poor hatchability

Iron Anaemia

Copper Anaemia

Iodine Goitre

Zinc Poor feathering, short bones

Cobalt Slow growth, mortality, reduced hatchability

As indicated above, vitamin and mineral deficiencies can produce numerous health problems for chickens including in some cases, death. Thus, to prevent nutritional deficiencies, or when deficiency symptoms are noted, feeding a balanced poultry diet with the required vitamins and minerals should be practised.

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