garlic bread

[Ch1ckChick]

Can Chickens have garlic bread?

 

[Jensownzoo]

Here is the scientific reasoning behind garlic supplementation in chickens:

Garlic has three main benefits to chicken health.

(1) As a prebiotic

A prebiotic forms the platform upon which a probiotic functions, promoting a healthy gut flora. Scientists are learning every day how very, very important our gut microflora is to our overall health, so by supporting the microflora you also support a chicken's ability to fight of disease/parasites, digest food, and absorb nutrients. Garlic contains a moderate amount of prebiotic fibers (inulin and oligosaccharides) at about 17.5% for raw garlic (a bit less in powdered form).

(2) As an antiseptic

One of the components of raw garlic, allicin, is released when garlic is chopped or crushed (it's one of garlic's defenses against pests). It has antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, and antiprotozoal (coccidia, anyone?) activities. They're actually studying it now to use in combatting MRSA in hospitals! It is a pretty volitile compound, so the garlic needs to be fresh and raw to have these effects (powdered doesn't work). Garlic will kill roundworms in a test tube, but it's unknown if this would translate to real life.

Here's the caveat: when allicin degrades, it changes into several potential compounds. One of these compounds, disulfide, is known to cause Heinz body anemia in mammals. Birds are somewhat more protected from this as their red blood cells are nucleated, but high doses of garlic (or onions, chives, leeks) can cause them problems. The good news is low levels administered chronically allow the bird to replenish these RBCs easily as production is adjusted to compensate.

3) As an antioxidant

Garlic contains many compounds, primarily sulfur-based, that are considered excellent antioxidants capable of scavaging the free-radicals responsible for cellular damage. The antioxidant components seem to outnumber the oxidant (such as disulfide) components, resulting in a net gain. This antioxidant activity is also highest in chopped/crushed raw garlic.

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So after looking very thoroughly into the subject, this is what I decided to do for my chickens:

Right now they are getting very finely diced/crushed garlic mixed into their daily feed twice weekly. By mixing it into the feed, no one chick can gorge on garlic and overdose themselves. I recently decided that fermenting the feed makes sense for me (I hate waste), so I may modify how it is provided a bit (may mix it in with the treats instead).

With garlic's antiseptic properties, I do not give it at the same time that I do a probiotic so I don't kill the good bacteria while still in the crop/stomach/gizzard. Right now I do them on different days, although with bird digestion probably a shorter separation would do.

I have considered crushed garlic in their water supply. The prebiotic, antiseptic, and antioxidant components of garlic are all soluble in water, so should theoretically be delivered to each bird. However, I am uncertain how contact with a galvanized surface (now) or PVC (future) would affect them...feeding it as a whole food makes more sense from that perspective although providing it via water might be better at controlling the dose received. I have to think more on this and see if there has been any research.

I hope that the information that I have provided will help people make their own decisions regarding garlic supplementation.

 

[aart]

I wouldn't...basically junk food.

 

[Pork Pie]

I wouldn't...basically junk food.

agreed - butter, salt and white bread are not high on the list of nutritionally great foods for chickens. Garlic, i understand is, just not on bread.

CT

 

[drumstick diva]

some people feed garlic to chickens to get rid of worms. I don't think that would work

 

[Pork Pie]

some people feed garlic to chickens to get rid of worms. I don't think that would work

Chicken breath freshener?

 

[Chickenchick11]

some people feed garlic to chickens to get rid of worms.   I don't think that would work

You're correct, it's ineffective as a wormer. It does have many other health benefits though.

 

[Chickenchick11]

Chicken breath freshener? 

 

[Chickenchick11]

Quoted from an article written by Mountain Peepe


Garlic also has many health benefits. Garlic, believe it or not, can help prevent worms in your chickens. It boosts the chicken's respiratory and immune systems. It is also thought that if chickens eat garlic on a regular basis they will have a less likelihood of getting mites and ticks since their blood tastes like garlic! You may have heard that garlic effects the taste of eggs but I and other garlic users have never found this to be true.

You can use garlic by floating the cloves in the chicken waterer. You can add a powder to their feed (2-3 % ratio) or just throw out plain garlic to them free choice.

 

[aart]

Quoted from an article written by Mountain Peepe


Garlic also has many health benefits. Garlic, believe it or not, can help prevent worms in your chickens. It boosts the chicken's respiratory and immune systems. It is also thought that if chickens eat garlic on a regular basis they will have a less likelihood of getting mites and ticks since their blood tastes like garlic! You may have heard that garlic effects the taste of eggs but I and other garlic users have never found this to be true.

You can use garlic by floating the cloves in the chicken waterer. You can add a powder to their feed (2-3 % ratio) or just throw out plain garlic to them free choice.

Just because someone wrote it in an article, doesn't mean it's true...none of the 'articles' on BYC are vetted for accuracy.

Garlic in small quantities won't hurt them...but in larger quantities it can be toxic.