For the record, there was actually a study done in 2018 (by The Jordan University) that measured the effects of ACV as a natural anticoccidial preventative in large scale broiler populations. The results showed that, as a matter of fact, broilers who drank ACV had less coccidial oocysts in the stool than the control and amprolium groups, and showed no clinical signs of the disease.
The obvious problem with this study is that it's very new and not widely reviewed. I actually tried to write a paper on ACV use in poultry and had to scrap the entire thing because there is so little peer reviewed evidence on it (and yet EVERYONE and their dog seems to have anecdotal "facts"
).
My personal takeaway as someone who does NOT keep hundreds of broilers in my backyard is:
1) the typical "backyard" chicken keeper keeps their birds for much longer than 1-2 months (the typical age of slaughter for a broiler). Not much is known in terms of long-term effects, but there is evidence that it can stunt skeletal growth and slow down muscle formation (as seen in the 2011 study by
Journal of Applied Poultry Science).
2) most of us keep laying hens which need a lot of calcium for regular egg production. As has already been pointed out, ACV interferes with calcium absorption.
3) again, as has been said, it can be damaging in hot weather—but I'd also like to add that long-term use of electrolyte packets can be as well. These things are meant to be a "boost" to the system, and long-term use can lead to seizures and heart problems, particularly in hot weather where animals can easily overdose on whatever has been put in their drinking water.
4) there is no standard dosage of how much vinegar should be added. A drop isn't going to do anything (except give you false expectations), but a significantly tainted drinking source could be devastating in the right circumstances.
Fresh, clean drinking water is ALWAYS best for an animal to properly function.
I'd also like to point out the danger of believing your flock is safer or healthier than you'd think. If I see worms in poop and all I do is add ACV to the waterer, I am not only letting the parasites further damage the organs of my birds, but I'm also giving them time to spread.
The best preventative for any illness is practicing good coop hygiene, biosecurity, and common sense. If issues arise (and they will), there are real drugs and treatments available that will help your birds much more than any questionable homeopathic remedies can.
And by the way, thank you for sharing the initial video! We welcome healthy debates here and I, personally, find this topic very interesting. No life-sucking intended.
..... anyway, thanks for watching, I hope the information helps you raise happy healthy chickens!
