I dont have any nutritional knowledge on it, but I occasionally put it into my waterer because it slows down the algae growth, and since I only have 3 hens, the water takes a while to get drank.
I think many of the suggestion regarding ACV have to do with the fact that it is not distilled. Its "rawness" has something of a pro-biotic effect, I think. The idea is it promotes beneficial gut fauna which helps with digestion. I am certainly not an expert though and, like another poster mentioned, the white would at least help to keep the waterers cleaner.
If you're going to the extra effort and expense to give your flock vinegar, you should get the biggest bang for your buck and the greatest benefits for your birds by purchasing unfiltered apple cider vinegar with the "mother." Bragg's is a common brand, but there are others, and it will say right on the label that it has the mother. For information on the benefits of ACV with mother, Google "apple cider vinegar mother." This type of vinegar is readily available at health food stores and many organic food co-ops. The price is a bit higher, but not crushing. A quart of Braggs runs something in the neighborhood of $3.65 in my area. I use 1 tsp. in a quart of water for the brooder. 2 tbsp. per gallon for the coop/run, so for literally pennies a day, I think it's a great value.
Quote:You do get a good deal. I pay over $5.50 a quart here, can find it occasionally for $4.97 on sale. Want to learn how to make my own, because I can also use it with the Alpacas, and their waterers are a little bit bigger!
ACV is really expensive here----a pint of Bragg's sells for about $4. So, I ordered a gallon through Amazon for $14.99 + .99 shipping!
I'm experimenting with making my own right now. Here's a link that gives a pretty good how-to if you're interested: http://thedeliberateagrarian.blogspot.com/2009/04/deliberate-agrarian-update-31-october.html I found some apple cider on sale for under $4.00 a gallon, so I started with that small amount for the experiment. Added 2 tbsp. of Braggs to give it a kick start. It's now in my greenhouse fermenting up a storm. I have this huge old King Apple tree that will give me all the cider I care to press come September. If the experiment works out, I'll make enough ACV to see me through the whole year. BTW - in making the vinegar, it first has to go through the hard cider stage. Back when I was a kid growing up on the farm they called it "Card Table Cider" because when you drank it, your legs folded up like a card table That was an excellent eBay deal, Nevada Chick ETA: to correct spelling
I've used ACV for decades and use it for everything. No the white vinegar will not do it. I know people who make their own, but I did that for about a year and since I had to pay for the apples it cost me way to much. I buy it at the healthfood store. I have to collect every book I can find on alternative health (studied it with my great great grandparents and in college) and ACV is mentioned in almost all of them. Pick up a book or two, not those little ones they sell at the checkstands of the grocery stores, and you'd be amazed at all the things that it's good for.
