Why do you guys give your chickens apple cider vinegar?

[CoopDeViIIe]

Is there a difference in the store brand ACV I can buy in a jug at Food Lion and the stuff you guys are using?

 

[Beekissed]

Yep. I use the ACV that is unpasteurized and unfiltered, raw, for the chooks and for myself. The regular ACV is better than nothing and is really good but the ACV with the good yeasts/bacteria in it is more beneficial for their digestion and overall health.

 

[CoopDeViIIe]

Where do you find this stuff locally?

 

[Beekissed]

They are selling it in Walmart and Kroger in the pint jugs now. A little more pricy than the regular ACV but you can add it to the regular gallon jugs and make more of the mother vinegar if you let it sit awhile. You can then just keep splitting your mother vinegar into plain vinegar to make more mother when you need it.

 

[CoopDeVille1]

Does anyone have experience using ACV in metal water fount? Not sure is ACV causes rust, corrosion, etc. Thanks!! This thread is very helpful!

 

[Crafty-Duck]

Does anyone have experience using ACV in metal water fount? Not sure is ACV causes rust, corrosion, etc. Thanks!! This thread is very helpful!

Don't use AVC in metal! it will rust it!

 

[TTeddy]

You can order it online in a jiffy....many sites online that sell mother vinegar. I can't even imagine a place that doesn't have vinegar available...somewhere.

Do the stores just not carry such an item? Nobody cans or pickles anything there?

I looked online first, found quite a few sites that sell it and everyone was/is out of stock until mid Jan. I shopped at my local Woolworths store and they had it. At the same price as online too. Coles never had it.

 

[limhyl]

Has any one used vinegar with the automatic nipple watering system? I'm worried about corrosion issues.

 

[winkle1234]

I have been using 1/2 cup of ACV in my five gallon pails (three nipples per pail) with nipples on the bottom for seven months now with no issue of corrosion. I started using ACV because of the benefits others on BYC were claiming. I had one hen that had constant pasty butt until I started putting ACV in the water. The pasty butt cleared up after a few days. I also noticed the odor in the coop became less offensive.

 

[chirpingcricket]

I've just started using ACV with the Mother on my flocks. What is the earliest I gan use for peepers and dose? Thanks.