Garlic for chickens?

[sbonsai]

We have been doing garlic powder in their food in small quantities based on a recommendation from a book that I read. The poster who said it eats metal though has me concerned. Their feeder is metal. Is that just mixed with water?

 

[wyatt015]

It may be both but I do know that the eggs will taste like garlic or if I feed them onions their eggs will taste like onions but I believe that it's only for things that are strong scent it won't do it to everything they eat so don't get worried

 

[Choco Maran]

I have given my chickens onions and my eggs don't taste like onions. Most of the chickens will not touch the onions they just pick though the scrapes and leave the onions alone.

 

[sbonsai]

Mine aren't laying eggs yet, but obviously I'd be concerned about zinc poisoning, so I guess I'll switch feeders even though I'm not a big fan of plastic either.

 

[WhittanyWho]

I feed my chickens garlic to boost their immune system. I offer them minced garlic or I put a few cloves of garlic into their waterer to keep them healthier and free from disease.  They will eat the green sprouts from the garlic as well.   Do not put garlic  in a water container made from galvanized steel. Garlic will eat at the galvanized steel leaching out toxic levels of zinc.  I have not witnessed garlic being toxic to my flock, as I have been doing so for quite a long time.  They are all heathy and I have never encountered any diseases, only have lost chickens from old age.  /img/smilies/cool.png

I can't find more info on garlic being unsafe in a metal waterer. I did find where ACV was unsafe to use in a metal waterer. I put garlic in my birds' metal waterer today, and now I'm not sure if I need to throw the whole thing out.

 

[Linda V]

Quote:

I feed my chickens garlic to boost their immune system. I offer them minced garlic or I put a few cloves of garlic into their waterer to keep them healthier and free from disease. They will eat the green sprouts from the garlic as well. Do not put garlic in a water container made from galvanized steel. Garlic will eat at the galvanized steel leaching out toxic levels of zinc. I have not witnessed garlic being toxic to my flock, as I have been doing so for quite a long time. They are all heathy and I have never encountered any diseases, only have lost chickens from old age.

 

[Linda V]

Your answer (and the one above it) was exactly what I needed to know! Today I am starting my new watering system (Brite Tap) from a thermos filled with 2-gallons of ice water and wanted to know how to incorporate the fresh garlic gloves I prepared for them! (see pics)

I'm also adding 1 Tablespoon per gallon of ACV. Since the 2-gallon thermos cleaned/refilled once a week, this should work out great for my girls!

Garlic in their blood turns off the mites and of course the ACV is good for them systemically as well as to keep the water pure too! Thanks so much for posting this! The girls turned their noses up at the fresh garlic I presented to them yesterday so now we have a plan to get it into them via their clean water supply!

BEST PRICE FOR THIS IS ON E-BAY!

Thanks again!!!

 

[Linda V]

The concern about feeding onion family plants to livestock probably comes from the problem cows, horses and dogs have with a compound found in onions. It causes a type of anemia.

You can read a little about what is in onions (& garlic & chives) that cause this problem with some animals here (Kansas State University Veterinary Quarterly Newsletter).

The information is in "Plants may be hazardous to livestock this spring" article on toxic plants about half way thru the newsletter.

Steve

 

[Linda V]

Wow! You certainly did all our heaving lifting for us on this one! Really appreciate this! Will make sure they get nothing but "tame, fresh, garlic cloves in their water!) The jars you can purchase at your local store is a little scary for me as you don't know where it came from, how fresh it is and it's soaking in a liquid of phosphoric acid...safe for us,
but nothing about chickens so I'd rather not risk it! Thanks so much for posting that!

 

[Lucy's Coop]

I also give my Girls & Roo garlic cloves in their water. BUT I use galvanized containers (only been doing it a week) it hasn't harmed my chicken by leaking any toxins in that amount of time has it ?!?!?
Thx
Lucy