Electrolyte Question

[JerryO]

Sorry for the barrage of questions lately, but one more, is Powerade diluted OK to give my chickens, until I can get to the feed store and buy some to put in their water?

 

[Peaguy]

Hey Jerry,
First -

Second... I posed something of this same question, ages ago, well kinda seems that way to me and Swiftfoot (Thank You!) shared a recipe for using Gatorade as a substitute I have been using it with REALLY good results for the past week.
As suggested I used the orange flavored powder ( $4.00 for the 18.4 oz "tub" mixed basically at half the strength as you a human would drink Mine have done very well, active healthy and growing like weeds! I have begun to weaken it down even further as of today (one week) to approx 1/4 strength We'll see how this goes over ( I am doing this to let them adjust to the flavor of the water we have here -we are on a well and some days the water is kinda stout! In fact we don't drink it ourselves we use filtered water) They thought the "gator water" was the bee's knees when I got them into the brooder and dipped their beaks for their first drink....
I would think that the Powerade mix would be just as safe but just remeber to dilute it! Oh and be ready to see their little "chin" feathers get dyed to whatever color/flavor you use... All of my chickies have orange chins/ throats from dipping the feathers into the waterer Kinda hard to notice on the Buff Orpingtons and the black whatever the heck they are... but the Light Brahmas white feather and fluff are now orange ... not buff... but ORANGE!
Edited To Add Good luck finding the electrolyte mix at the feed stores... The ONLY place I have found it was in catalogs and we have 3 different feed stores here including a TSC and no one carries it as regular inventory, They'll order it but the $$ mark up is then outrageous!

 

[JerryO]

Thanks Peaguy...and thanks for the welcome! I have Powerade right now, because that was what was on sale!! But I went ahead and did it half and half and they are acting like they just found King Solomon's mines! I wonder what blue feathers will look like on them?? LOL

 

[keljonma]

An easy homemade electrolytes solution

1 cup hot water
2 tsp sugar
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp baking soda
Mix together to dissolve. Let cool.

Add 1 tsp of mixture to a gallon of cold water

 

[d.k]

* Isn't that a formula just for temporary emergency use, too?? I thought 'genuine' (for lack of a better term) electrolyte formulas had magnesium and potassium in them among the other stuff.

 

[keljonma]

It's cheaper than Gatorade or Powerade, it's made from ingredients you probably have on the shelf. It will help until you can get electrolytes from the feed store.

Electrolytes shouldn't be fed continously, as they are too high in sodium and sugar.