I've heard of beer for my horses, but for my chickens?

[SunChick]

My DH came home today and asked if anyone had ever given their chickens beer in their water. Apparently the head of the biology department at his college, told him that his mother in England gave beer or ale to the chickens in the water to improve the taste of the eggs. Anyone heard of this? Makes hanging out with the chickies while enjoying a cold one a new perspective!

 

[jenichick]

I've had many of beer while hanging out with my chicks, but never given them any. I remember what a cat acted like once when I was young when someone gave it too much beer so I dare not go there, I think the chickens brain is a little smaller.

 

[SloCrevs]

At the mid-State Fair this year, they moved the goat + Sheep Barn over next to the grandstands. Now, the arrangement went like this :

Grandstand Dariy Goats Market Goats Sheep

Now why the h*ll would they put the BREEDING ANIMALS right next to all the noise and the commotion? Now this is what really P*ssed me off. One of the Lamancha Does almost DIED because somebody poured their beer into her water, it poisoned her, and the girl had to take her to the vet @ 5:30 in the morning just to keep her alive. Stupid Fair commission. So I personally do not give alcohol of any type to any of my animals. EVER

 

[SunChick]

Ummm maybe because they were not due to deliver? Just because something is "breeding" doesn't necessarily make it fragile. That would take out over 99% of the human population exposed to noise and commotion everyday and we breed like rabbits!

I would agree that giving alcohol past a certain body weight (people included) has a serious effect and it was unfortunate that the doe's health was placed at risk from a ill thought out prank. However, I just wanted to know if there was medicinal qualities or direct effect to egg taste; cultures have been known to have unusual practices, some with merit. Several of us believe in ACV to have medicinal qualities for instance. I have known several horses and ponies that loved a little beer in their mashes, I knew a pony that would slurp it straight from the can without side effects. (keep in mind the weight difference!) In fact, beer in horse mashes is a well established practice as a treat of sorts in several horse communities. The thought of a chicken benefiting from beer is a novel idea. It was expressed to me that the beer was given much like we give ACV in the water, but benfitted the taste of the eggs produced. Anyone from England here that has heard of this?

 

[justusnak]

Thats new to me....however....I was talking to a woman the other day...and we got on the subject of culling mean roosters..and how tough the meat is. She told me...put the rooster in a seperate cage...and with hold all feed, and give only red wine for 24 hours before culling. The meat is tender, and sweet. Hmmmmmm....get em drunk and cull em?? I dont know...but she swears by it!

 

[Wolfpacker]

Oh yeah, right. What a dumb idea . . .
They'll have to fight ME for it!

 

[Scrambled Egg]

"Jenichick - I've had many of beer while hanging out with my chicks, but never given them any" lol!!!

I can't imagine that it would be anything but harmful to them and it is not anything I would ever give my chickens, heck, how in the world would they to AA when they wanted to stop???!!!

 

[dlhunicorn]

alcohol is extremely toxic to any bird

 

[LynnGrigg]

Quote:
They'd have to cross a road

 

[karri25]

Right alcohol is bad but...my family is really country and I little bit of ale in the water has been given to some of their animals. They say that the yeast and stuff is good for thier inside. But like a tbsn or so for a gallon of water or something. So yes, I have heard of it but no I've never done it.

P.s. you can also soak your meat in beer for a while to make it more tender and to take out gamey flavor.