Why do you guys give your chickens apple cider vinegar?

[SteveBaz]

A teaspoon a day and yuck what a taste. I put it in my oatmeal or mix it with juice it is tough to choke down and takes some getting used to

 

[so lucky]

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Mix with a tablespoon of honey and a glass of water. Makes a tasty refreshing drink. Really!!

 

[<3 N.C Chicken Chick <3]

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I would like to know this 2

 

[Chicken_Pauper]

Any healthfood type store... Sprout's, Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, your local generic "heathfood store", or on line at Amazon... but, unless you get large and free shipping, it will cost too much (on line). Bragg's may be the best, but the price shows it. It costs more than other brands (of raw, organic).

 

[Chocobo]

I had this same question and was looking for hard data to back up the claims. Here is the thread with links to some scientific studies:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=563616

The short answer is it DOES help the chickens although it is not the miracle cure that many claim it to be.
The primary reason it works seems to be its ability to alter the ph of the water and hence the digestive tract of the chicken which makes the water and chicken inhospitable to algae and certain bacteria.

 

[gale65]

I bought it at GNC.

 

[WoodlandWoman]

Raw ACV with the mother in it is a bit like yogurt. It still has the good bacteria in it that created it. Those bacteria are good for the digestive tract, along with the nutrients that are in it.

You can also use some of the raw ACV with the mother in it to make more, by adding apple cider to it and letting it ferment. I'm sure there are threads on this here, too. It's like using yogurt with live culture in it, along with scalded and cooled milk, to culture more yogurt.

 

[ALRwild]

How have I never heard of this!?!?!?

 

[mallorysinclair]

Probably any independent, organic "granola" grocery store will carry raw unpasteurized ACV. Whole Foods carries it too, if you have one near you.

 

[A.T. Hagan]

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I went and read that thread and one of the papers Neil linked to was very interesting. I'm going to try to talk my daughter into doing it for next year's science fair project.

It's the acetic acid in the vinegar that seems to be what really does the trick. Whether it's raw, unfiltered, organic apple cider vinegar or plain old grocery store white vinegar it's the acetic acid that all vinegars contain that seems to be the active ingredient.