My Hens Are Dying. Can You Help?

[Kiki]

It's actually been proven to hinder the

Agreed. I used to use it in their water and saw little to no difference. In fact, they slowed down in laying and drank less water. As soon as I stopped, laying went back up to normal and they started drinking normally again. Maybe coincidence, but....?

birds ability to properly absorb calcium in their feed.

 

[aart]

It's actually been proven to hinder the
birds ability to properly absorb calcium in their feed.

...and can also inhibit drinking enough water.

 

[PolishAllTheWay]

Ok...but I'm not assuming or making up that it rids worms. It's fact that it does not.

Hmmm, but I don’t believe that cause I’ve used it and it worked a miracle, it’s even Saved one of my chickens from death

 

[shawluvsbirds]

...and can also inhibit drinking enough water.

Found that out when I had a duck with a possible yeast infection.
I still don't know what was really wrong with her but I know the ACV did not help.
All that done was stop her from drinking which made matters worse.

 

[4yearsofchickens]

It's actually been proven to hinder the

birds ability to properly absorb calcium in their feed.

...and can also inhibit drinking enough water.

That would explain what happened with my flock

 

[21hens-incharge]

I also had used then stopped using ACV.
In my flock shells became thin and brittle then laying nearly stopped completely.
It took about 3 weeks after stopping for laying to be back to 100% in my flock.

 

[HuffleClaw]

For the record note that apple cider vinegar will not do a thing for a worm issue.

x2!!!

 

[aart]

Hmmm, but I don’t believe that cause I’ve used it and it worked a miracle, it’s even Saved one of my chickens from death

Doesn't matter how many testimonials or infographics are posted....unless you have fecal floats done before and after it's all fallacy anecdotes(which are not quantifiable).

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I’ve used it for years and it has helped a bunch so I disagree completely

Helped a bunch with WHAT exactly?

Hmmm, but I don’t believe that cause I’ve used it and it worked a miracle, it’s even Saved one of my chickens from deathView attachment 2454724

In some cases.. the probiotic effect of RAW unfiltered apple cider vinegar MAY help an otherwise ailing bird when added to water. It will have little to no effect for a healthy bird.

Please understand that bacteria is WHAT keeps us all alive and the gut requires bacteria to function! Making the gut less conducive to one type of bacteria gives another type the upper hand short term. Generally EVERY thing has a natural balance.. including the chicken gut.. we somehow know better than the creator or nature what chicken gut ph should be?? I DOUBT it! (while it's true that higher ph was less conducive to coccidia protozoa in broilers, proper husbandry is FAR more effective)

If added vitamins are the desired or needed effect.. use a supplement with a guaranteed analysis instead of hoping for some micro effect. It does NOT work as a worming agent and IF internal parasites NEED to be treated using something PROVEN effective is highly recommended.

Listen. works miracles.. ehhh, not so much. BUT, I'm super stoked that your outcome was good!!

Please, if you are going to TREAT worms WITH ACV.. consider getting before and after fecal load species counts to verify both need AND efficacy.. report result back here and PROVE us wrong for real instead of accepting a false sense of security! Everybody claims to want the best for their birds but NOBODY using alternative worming methods will put their $ where their mouth is and GET FLOATS! I cannot run that experiment or participate in it since my floats come back negative.

Acidity does dissolve calcium and hinder absorption so the birds *MAY* be processing more through the kidneys to get what they need for egg laying.. I'm not sure. But if that is the case.. they MAY be more likely to face gout, kidney failure, etc.. LONG term.. Once in a while raw, unfiltered acv added to the water as a bonus.. sure, no big deal and maybe some benefit. BUT please do NOT buy all the hype and NEVER give ANY supplement longer than 10 days in a row.

Also, I see you are fairly new to this community.. Welcome to BYC, I hope you are enjoying it here!

 

[SandLapper]

It depends on what kind of lettuce you're talking about.
Iceberg lettuce has practically no nutritional value it's just a filler.View attachment 2454338

I did not realize previously that you were not providing feed of any kind
Besides scraps.
I still doubt that that's why they died,
But I do think you need to continue to provide feed especially if they are not free-ranging.
And like others have already explained it would be hard for them to free-range enough to get everything they need.

Yeah, iceberg is pathetic.

But those are daily values for humans, which there is statistically negligible value in the leaf