Is yogurt really good for them?

[redwa]

I know all the probiotic cultures are good for the chickens and I have seen in this forum many references to giving chickens yogurt. My vet says this isn't good due to the diary factor, which chickens supposedly do not tolerate well. What are your thoughts?

 

[speckledhen]

The lactose in yogurt is not the same as the lactose in milk, which is what he is referring to. Yogurt is tolerated very well by chickens and live cultures are beneficial to their gut flora.

 

[schmoo]

Redwa- My vet told me to give my cat 2 tblsp. of yogurt a day because he had loose stool. He said it is not the same thing as giving dairy which actually can irritate a bowel when you have loose stools. Anyways the cat loved it and more importantly it worked.

I give my chickens yogurt all the time and they are GREAT!

 

[redwa]

Thanks for feedback. It makes sense.

 

[ella]

I had the same thought because chickens, unlike us, are not mammals. They would never in nature encounter any milk product and their digestive system is largely manual not bacterial.

However I have seen a beneficial result when I mix a probiotic powder into their feed during stressful times, like molting. Which makes sense because the non harmful bacteria in yogurt takes up the resources that may otherwise be used by harmful bacteria, yeast and fungi.

Bottom line is I don't think it hurts and it may help quite a bit.

 

[earthnut]

I have read do not give them more than a Tbsp / day / bird because of the lactose, but the yogurt is partially digested compared to milk, so it's easier on the chickens than milk. A little is very beneficial.

 

[MissPrissy]

I feed yogurt. I have also been hearing and reading good things about pastured, milk-fed poultry.

 

[chcknrs]

It seems to me that many vets may be like doctors. They do NOT encourage holistic medicine. Maybe because they haven't studied it, maybe because they make more money this way. I sure wish Silkie Chicken's mom could come on board and teach us more. I would LOVE to learn from her, and I look for natural remedies whenever possible.
Silkie Chicken? Think she would? Or maybe teach a class? I would travel to Everett for that and even pay.

 

[chickenshadow]

We have saved many a spraddled or runted chick by hand feeding them
a combination of yogurt and ground chick starter. The yogurt acts as a good
binder and makes it easier to hand feed the chick. It sticks to their beaks.

 

[kstaven]

One thing when considering milk feeding chickens is that NON PASTEURIZED milk still contains the lactase that will allow chickens to consume the milk without having a problem. That is why a person like myself who cannot tolerate store bought milk can drink all the "raw milk" I want without issue.

That is something that has always bugged me with vet manuals and other sources. They do not differentiate between the two.