Vitamin E
and why is it important to chickens?
My facts on Vitamin E have come from experience dealing with Wry neck. Researching and understanding why wry neck appears helps with prevenation for seeing this disease first hand or reliving an relapse.
DISCLAMIER: Im not an expert, this gatherd text comes from my experience, my research and why I think its important to know about this.
A deficincy in vitamin E is the most common reason to the disease known as wry neck and after calcium, the most common deficiency in chickens.
But what is Vitamin E and what does it do?
Vitamin E is an antioxidant that has the main purpose of hunting down whats known as loose electrons "free radicals".
Basic free radicals are unstable atoms that can damage cells in a body, and there after cause illness.
Another purpose of Vitamin E is that in enhances immune function. There for it is easy to say that if you lack vitamin E its easier to get sick.
Two important notes you need to know before dosing your birds with this vitamin
Vitamin E needs selenium to be absorbed of the body there for its important to take these togheter. Selenium is easy to overdose and is also deadly in high doses and vitamin E is deadly to overdose for a longer period of time
What does Vitamin E do for chickens?
Its reported that with a correct amount of Vitamin E can make them more tolorate impact of heat stress and they will have a better immune response, this include things bacteria like E Coli .They will have a bigger hatch and their laying will improve.
There is alot of food that is rich in vitamin E. The most common one is sunflower, adding just a cup Sunflower seeds to your chickens daily diet there for does alot! Other foods include almonds, mango and pumpkins
What are the symtoms of a Vitamin E deficincy in chickens?
Like said, Vitamin E is very important for chickens. A deficincy in this vitamin has a huge impact on their bodies, there for the list of symtoms is long, but some of them are.
- Wry Neck
- Musclar Dysfunction
- Paralysis
- Crazy chick disease (encephalomalacia)
- Haemorrhages
- Decreased laying
Diffrent breeds are more sensetive to deficiencies (Silkies are specially known for this) and there for have diffrent needs of the vitamin.
What can you do?
There is alot of Vitamin E products that are aimed specially for birds, but my greatest tip is to add sunflower seeds daily, weekly or as a treat you give .
Sources:
Dine a Chook Vitamin E in Chickens
Havard T.H Chan What is Vitamin E?
Medical News Today Vitamin E in Sunflower Seeds
Read about what a deficincy in vitamin E does
