Charcoal?

[S0rcy]

In my wandering through Ebay for fun I came across an antique feeder that had a section labeled 'charcoal'. Can anyone tell me why they would have fed charcoal? Preventative or mineral supplement before commercial mixes came along??

 

[crtrlovr]

not sure for all the reasons, and it would probably help to know what type of critter was fed by that feeder, but charcoal has long been used as a digestive aid to help process irritants in the gut, and was also frequently used to help counteract any ingested poison. The charcoal absorbed and acted as a neutralizer for many different types of poisons. Ever had your own or seen someone else's stomach pumped? Even today the hospital uses activated charcoal.

 

[Stephen in SoKY]

People often worm hogs with coal, but never charcoal that I've heard of. How large was the feeder?

 

[digitS']

James Dryden in his book "Feeding for Eggs" (copyright 1909) says this about the subject:

"Charcoal is a bowel regulator, and most of the successful poultrymen feed it regularly. It may be kept in a box
or hopper where the fowls can eat it at will."

I don't know what he means by a bowel regulator. Do chickens have problems with gas??

?

Hey, SOrcy, Dryden did his work at the Oregon State Agricultural College (now OSU) in Corvallis. Close to home?

Steve

 

[Eggseronious]

Quote:
Yep a hog will eat coal like a kid eating candy, I can still hear them today cracking that coal.

 

[S0rcy]

Sorry I should have been more specific,

The listing was "Antique Chicken Feeder"

Steve, VERY close to home LOL I got to Oregon State and I live in Corvallis. OSU is just down the road. I see Dryden's name occasionally in passing here and there

I am assuming a Bowel Regulator would act like fiber, pacify toxins before they hit the blood, or even helped aid in gizzard function.

Thanks for the info all, I was wondering what it could have done that they gave it free choice to chickens!