A Bielefelder Thread !

[Red Banks]

Quote: http://blog.chickenwaterer.com/2012/12/dont-use-apple-cider-vinegar-acv-in.html
(LINK BELOW WORKS BETTER)

The article is titled "Don't Use ACV" but what the article really concludes is "there's no real evidence that it works, so don't bother." By the way, yogurt is a probiotic because the lactobacilus bacteria it contains can survive in the gastrointestinal tract.( Lactobacilus doesn't need oxygen to survive). ACV contains Acetobacteria that people also think is a probiotic but this type of bacteria does need oxygen to live and so it can't survive in the gut. ACV is not a probiotic. The best time to give your chickens probiotics is when they are baby chicks. At that time, the normal flora in their guts has not developed yet and they would be more prone to get salmonella or coccidiosis. Commercially available probiotic solutions are sold for chicks but you can also try giving your chicks some sauerkraut.

Putting some ice in your water jug is a nice touch. Chickens prefer cool water and it will increase their water consumption. Leghorns given cool water versus warm water laid about 10% more eggs because their overall water consumption rate was higher.

Kind regards,

-Mark

http://blog.chickenwaterer.com/2012/12/dont-use-apple-cider-vinegar-acv-in.html

I personally don't use it, but some folks swear by it.

I give my chickens plain yogurt every now and again. They love it.
I don't understand yogurt either. Their digestive system is not like ours, how does it work with a crop?

 

[Sylvester017]

I personally don't use it, but some folks swear by it.

I give my chickens plain yogurt every now and again. They love it.

Chickens love all dairy - although I limit dairy to zero-fat organic Greek yogurt with over 20% protein rating one or two times a week. A tablespoon goes around 4 hens as we hand-feed it to make sure everyone gets some. Usually they lose interest eating more because it gets all over their beaks and they are constantly scraping the mess off.

 

[Sylvester017]

I don't understand yogurt either. Their digestive system is not like ours, how does it work with a crop?

That's a very good question since some chicken feeds/supplements have probiotics in it. I feed the yogurt because my chickens love it as a treat and only get it a couple times a week. Chickens seem to love all dairy - butter, cheeses, yogurt, sour cream, cottage cheese, etc. but their feed should be their first and main nutrition source aside from produce, mealworms, etc etc.

 

[Cynthia12]

I don't understand yogurt either. Their digestive system is not like ours, how does it work with a crop?

I use it after I use my Denagard. I use Denagard for prevention in the spring and the fall. I know..not everyone believe in doing this preventive stuff...well, it's worked for me for 4 yrs. now. My hens have been free of any illness since I started this. Of course, I am careful not to let others in my chicken area..nor, do I go into others..nor, do I guy a hen from others..soo..there are a lot of good probabilities as to why my chickens are doing well. Knocking on wood!!

 

[Sylvester017]

I use it after I use my Denagard. I use Denagard for prevention in the spring and the fall. I know..not everyone believe in doing this preventive stuff...well, it's worked for me for 4 yrs. now. My hens have been free of any illness since I started this. Of course, I am careful not to let others in my chicken area..nor, do I go into others..nor, do I guy a hen from others..soo..there are a lot of good probabilities as to why my chickens are doing well. Knocking on wood!!

My vet wasn't too keen on Denagard so I saved money and didn't get it. He's worked in the poultry industry and said prevention is not necessary and not to use medications/products unless a specific problem arises. The only health maintenance we do on our chickens other than the usual vitamins or feed supplementations is having a routine worming with Rooster Booster and lice/mite preventatiion using Manna Pro Poultry Protector. CRD is in 95% of backyard flocks but not every flock will ever show symptoms. In my group I have one Silkie that shows symptoms every year during inclement weather yet the others don't have issues. She had to have nasal surgery because infection discharge backs up and blocks her nasal breathing. She's my problem Silkie and also my littlest chicken. He had me follow-up with Tylan in the drinking water for 10 days for the flock to curb any possible symptoms and to continue vitamin supplementation as usual. Denagard doesn't seem to be offered in the U.S. but it can be purchased online. I just chose to follow my vet's recommendation since Denagard didn't seem as outstanding as claimed. I have other healthy chickens that apparently don't need preventative medication until a CRD shows up and have just the one bird that will always be prone to symptoms - she's a spunky little thing - one year she wheezed so badly we sat up thru the night with her thinking we were losing her. Nope, vet got her through it and said she would always be prone and prevention was not necessary for the flock if they never displayed symptoms. She's the only one and we're glad that it is something that is only once a year with her. How these little birds can tug at the heart strings!!!

 

[DesertChic]

My vet wasn't too keen on Denagard so I saved money and didn't get it. He's worked in the poultry industry and said prevention is not necessary and not to use medications/products unless a specific problem arises. The only health maintenance we do on our chickens other than the usual vitamins or feed supplementations is having a routine worming with Rooster Booster and lice/mite preventatiion using Manna Pro Poultry Protector. CRD is in 95% of backyard flocks but not every flock will ever show symptoms. In my group I have one Silkie that shows symptoms every year during inclement weather yet the others don't have issues. She had to have nasal surgery because infection discharge backs up and blocks her nasal breathing. She's my problem Silkie and also my littlest chicken. He had me follow-up with Tylan in the drinking water for 10 days for the flock to curb any possible symptoms and to continue vitamin supplementation as usual. Denagard doesn't seem to be offered in the U.S. but it can be purchased online. I just chose to follow my vet's recommendation since Denagard didn't seem as outstanding as claimed. I have other healthy chickens that apparently don't need preventative medication until a CRD shows up and have just the one bird that will always be prone to symptoms - she's a spunky little thing - one year she wheezed so badly we sat up thru the night with her thinking we were losing her. Nope, vet got her through it and said she would always be prone and prevention was not necessary for the flock if they never displayed symptoms. She's the only one and we're glad that it is something that is only once a year with her. How these little birds can tug at the heart strings!!!

This mirrors my own philosophy. I stay away from pharmaceuticals and especially antibiotics since we consume not only the eggs, but the meat as well. My goal in raising my own poultry was to escape the norms of the industry and thereby escape all the exposure to chemicals. I ferment the feed, give probiotics, vitamins and electrolytes as necessary, and otherwise let nature take its course. If one of my birds gets sick, which very rarely happens, then I isolate it until it either recovers, dies, or needs to be humanely euthanized. I simply don't accept the idea that science and "progress" is superior to nature. And I never take my chickens to the vet. As fond as I am of several of them, they're still a food source, not full-blown pets, and I simply don't need the additional expense.

 

[DesertChic]

Well, the Bielefelder eggs my last mama hen hatched resulted in three crosses rather than one cross and two pure. My NN/Biel is, thankfully, a pullet, but the other two appear to be cockerels.

Definite cockerel in spite of the darker coloring; cushion comb.


Apparent cockerel, lighter coloring, cushion comb + feathered shanks....and where the heck did those fifth toes come from????


NN/Biel pullet. I named her "Misha"


My Fast Five flock...growing up fast. Mama Lily left them to start laying again when they were only 3 weeks old.

 

[Cynthia12]

Love love the Denagard, swear by it. Hasn't hurt a thing in all these yrs. My chickens are doing great! I eat the eggs, no problems there either.
There are vets that don't worry about it. I know of the old farmers that give the real hard anti biotics to their chickens, and eat their eggs any way. I won't do that, but don't worry about the Denagard. What ever works for each of us. As long as I don't see any harm to my girls..which I haven't. Like I said when I posted it..not everyone would like it...not for everyone. I know several that are using it the same way and having great results too.. It's ok...for us.

And yes Sylvester..these little birds do tug at my heart strings. Love them. I just sit out there at times, like today, when I need some time away from .. stuff..and I talk to my girls. Had a great talk with my SG and Silkie this afternoon. They sat on my leg and talked right back. Great listeners.

 

[Cynthia12]

I love NN's and SG's. I have a smooth SG. Getting ready to lay anytime. Check out that crop on that baby...cute. Eating well.

 

[Sylvester017]

This mirrors my own philosophy. I stay away from pharmaceuticals and especially antibiotics since we consume not only the eggs, but the meat as well. My goal in raising my own poultry was to escape the norms of the industry and thereby escape all the exposure to chemicals. I ferment the feed, give probiotics, vitamins and electrolytes as necessary, and otherwise let nature take its course. If one of my birds gets sick, which very rarely happens, then I isolate it until it either recovers, dies, or needs to be humanely euthanized. I simply don't accept the idea that science and "progress" is superior to nature. And I never take my chickens to the vet. As fond as I am of several of them, they're still a food source, not full-blown pets, and I simply don't need the additional expense.

Yes, I understand your choice completely. On the farm our folks raised poultry with the knowledge that after egg-production they would be table meat and no expense was wasted on sickly or dying birds. Our backyard chickens today are kept mostly as pets and for our enjoyment of the 3 unusual breeds we finally decided to keep. And the expense to keep them healthy or have occasional fecal tests done thru the vet is just a chosen convenience by us since we are so attached to our pets. Some people spend money for licenses, vaccinations, housing, medications, vet bills, etc on their cats or dogs but in lieu of cats or dogs we chose to keep chickens as pets and we haven't regretted a minute of it -- especially once we found a vet that exercises on the side of caution and doesn't believe in unnecessary preventative medications

. But we bless him for keeping our spunky 4-yr-old Silkie well!

Here she is with her "hair" full of cobwebs and straw - making us smile! We just have to keep this little girl around and healthy as long as possible!