Is yogurt really good for them?

[chickenshadow]

Quote:
That's interesting. I never thought of that. Does that explain why people who are
lactose intolerant can take a pill like Lactaid(I think that's the name) before cosuming
dairy.

Thanks al lot. Now we need to go get a cow.

 

[CathyB]

Quote:
I agree 100%! Holistic medicine is not profitable enough for DRS and the pharmacutical (sp?) companys! So many things have natural ways to take care of it! Drs spend like all of one week on nutrition in med school

I would love a post on here with everyones all natural medicine, cures, ect for their chickens! I already read about the pumkins and made a mental note of that!

Do most of you make your own yogurt? If not, what brand do you buy?

 

[Cassandra]

I buy probiotics in capsule form. Would it be just as good for the chickens to give them some powdered probiotics mixed in something non dairy (such as, i don't know, apple sauce, or whatever they like)

Cassandra

 

[greyfields]

I give my birds a bit of yoghurt the first day they go out on grass. It's "cheep cheep" insurance.

 

[kstaven]

Quote:
Things like that work so well. Unfortunately there isn't a 30 million dollar peer reviewed study to back up common sense!

 

[kstaven]

Quote:
That's interesting. I never thought of that. Does that explain why people who are
lactose intolerant can take a pill like Lactaid(I think that's the name) before cosuming
dairy.

Thanks al lot. Now we need to go get a cow.

That is why lactaid is not necessary. Raw milk contains natural enzymes that allows it to be digested that are killed with heat. Not to mention a bunch of other nasty things that happen like oxidation of the protein etc.... but I'll quit now, before writing another essay.

 

[ssledoux]

What kind of yogurt do you guys feed? I have some organic yogurt in the fridge that I was considering offering my week-old chicks, but it is vanilla flavored (I use it in my homemade smoothies). Is that okay?

 

[lemurchaser]

kstaven wrote:

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.

Do you have more info on this? This doesn't make sense to me and as a person who is lactose intolerant, I would really like to understand. Lastase is an enzyme that cleaves lactose (a disaccharide) into glucose and galactose. If it is in the milk itself, then there wouldn't be any lactose in there. Lactase is generally found in the duodenum/small intestine of mammals, especially young mammals.

 

[Tutter]

Some of the healthiest chicks I've raised were started on a milk product. However, it was milk from our goats, and it was clabbered. We didn't continue feeding it once they got older, though.

 

[kstaven]

Quote:
Lactose, the first carbohydrate most baby mammals ever taste, is actually made up of two simple sugars, glucose and galactose, making it a disaccharide. Cow's milk hovers at around 5% lactose (human milk averages a bit higher at just over 7% by comparison). It's got a fairly low glycemic index (doesn't boost insulin levels very quickly) and so is better tolerated by diabetics.

As some people age, their levels of lactase, the enzyme needed to digest lactose, drop significantly. When they consume heat treated dairy products with no remaining food enzyme activity, they lack sufficient lactase to break the milk sugar down, and suffer numerous unpleasant symptoms, notably gas and bloating. Not fun. But raw milk, with live, friendly lactobacilli, has its bacterially-produced lactase intact.

Hope this helps. If you need more depth please do not hesitate to PM or email me.