Can I use "human" probiotics?

[hd_darcy]

I have two chicks with pasty butts. I lost one awhile back who had a pasty butt, and i so do not want to go there again. Nowhere near me sells poultry probiotics. Can I just open up a capsule of a "human" kind and sprinkle it on their food??

Thanks!

Darcy

 

[LarryPQ]

Plain ol yogurt may help...

 

[edselpdx]

"Probiotics" are cultures of healthy normal gut bacteria, which are species-specific. Chickens have a different set of gut bacteria than humans, so no, human probiotics won't work on chickens as probiotics. You can give them yogurt, and it won't hurt them, but it is not a way to set up normal gut flora in a chicken.

 

[CheerfulHeart2]

Many folks on the forum recommend yogurt. I am not sure if that is something that got started and spread or if people are seeing it work. I know I was skeptical of the science behind ACV, but have seen it help my birds - sometimes things work that haven't been proven to yet. The bugs in yogurt are similar to those in capsules for people....

If anyone has more info on this I would be very interested to know. Have you used yogurt and seen improvement? What about human pills?

 

[LarryPQ]

I use yogurt--it provides a good source of calcuim, helps when they have stinky poo, and since they love it--is a sneaky way to administer meds when I have to.

 

[CheerfulHeart2]

edselpdx - i can tell from you posts you have some solid science background and would love to hear more from you if you are still reading this thread.

Laree- interesting. Good to know.

I did a google search and skim. Scientific abstracts of ariticles on chicken flora mention Lactobaccillus and some others that are commonly found in probiotic pills for humans...of course, they didn't say if it was the same species. I also saw an article about E coli going from chickens to humans...so that is one case of cross gut culturing...if I read the article right in my quick skim.

 

[trilyn]

Quote:
If you've got a TSC near you or any good farm/feed store, they usually carry this stuff-it works wonderfully! I add this to my birds feed, along with the other nine million things! LOL

http://pscfarm.probioticsmart.com/poultry.html

 

[hd_darcy]

Thank you everyone, all good to know! I do have a TSC, but they said they didn't carry it..GRR... I'll see about getting some plain yogurt. I only have vanilla in the fridge right now. Thanks for the help and info!

Darcy

 

[Frogdogtimestwo]

Will probios probiotics that I got for my sheep work for my chickens? The label mentions several animals but not chickens. Thanks

 

[CheerfulHeart2]

Quote:
That is an interesting question. You might do an internet search on the sheep product or call the manufacturer. My google searches are giving me the impression that some probiotic formulas are good for many different animals.