Paprika?? Does it work?

[Reurra]

I read that paprika in the food can help prevent certain parasites. Does this actually work? I cant seem to find the source i read it on. I did by some and put it on thier food, they seem to like it and dont seem to mind the flavor or change.

Also, I went 5 days on thier antibiotic booster (super booster from Vetoquinol) Its a vitamin booster as well as antibiotics. Im taking them off it now and about to start them on Piperazine 52. I know it only does round worms, but Ive seen suggestions for using this before using a broad spectrum wormer. Problem is, the broad spectrum wormers that I found were $60 for small packages and $200 for large. Is there a smaller dosage I can get thats not so expensive? Im only going to be doing a flock of up to 8 birds.

I also was worried that the booster might affect the wormer. Can they be combined or should I wait a little longer before starting them on the wormer?

 

[Reurra]

anyone?

 

[chickmashnoon]

I believe that the paprika and any of the red caspium peppers increase the metabolisim, increase the autoimmune system, and peppers have a large amount of vit C, so it will help prevent them, just like eating healthy will help you prevent disease, but it is not completely reliable.
not completely sure about the dosages, timing, and other. i'm due for my 1st worming here soon and I've been looking into the natural stuff myself

 

[jak2002003]

No it will not work. You need to buy a proper de wormer to be sure to kill the worms.

Are you birds sick? Why are they having antibiotic boosters and vitamin boosters?

I never think its a good idea to over medicate. My flock have never been wormed or had any other medicine (apart from vasoline when some got mild scaly leg). I have never lost one to disease or illness in 5 years, and they are all fat, healthy, free ranging chickens that lay lots of eggs.

 

[Reurra]

I gave them the booster because they came from an egg farm. They were scrawny and starving when i got them so i gave them the booster to alleviate any stress, or immune deficiencies caused by thier previous care givers. They are now much fatter and much more active than when i got them. They eat well and are looking healthier. My grandmother used to give paprika to get her birds perked up when they were looking depressed and it seemed to work, but recently I read that it can help prevent illness and parasites. I was curious if it was true. If it boosts thier metabolism and helps them fight illness, then what can hurt?

In fact since I started giving it to them ive noticed a change in the smaller of my 2 hens who had been looking a bit peaked. Now she is curious and looking around, scratching and exploring.

I had wondered though if it really helped prevent worms or parasites.

 

[jak2002003]

Do it will not do the birds any harm to feed them that. I understand now about the medication.

Do you know that when people want to go on a diet and loose weight they can eat chillies and paprika too as it boosts the metabolism. I tried it once, but it had no effect on me. In fact I now am hooked on chillies and eat lots of spicy food........but am getting fatter!

 

[jak2002003]

Oh forgot to say that I used to work in a pet store and we sold wild bird seed. This seed had paprika added to it. It smelt lovely. The birds can not taste it, but its added to prevent the squirrels eating it. Apparently the squirrels don't like the hot spicy taste.

 

[Reurra]

lol, I love spicy food too! It seems to perk them up when i give it to them. it was cold and rainy over the last couple of days, I went ahead and gave them some to help them feel less down from the cold. It did the trick I think because they were clucking and scratching by noon looking for ants that have a nest near the run.

 

[jak2002003]

I wish my chickens would eat ants. There is a big ant trail that comes over the wall and down into the run. The ants are drinking the chickens water. I think my chickens are too fat and used to their expensive chicken feed to want to eat the ants.

 

[Stuart77047]

Paprika (US English) is made from peppers with very low capsaicin %. That is why paprika is not hot. Almost everywhere else in the world paprika is any ground red pepper. So it can range from mild to extremely hot. It the US we break it out to things like chili powder, paprika and cayenne/red pepper. If you are going to try this you should use the hottest pepper you can find, which will probably be cayenne. Also don't worry about the hotness bothering the chickens. No bird has the receptors for capsaicin. The theory is that the plants developed capsaicin to ward off mammals. Also if you think about it, why would you have your fruit so hot that nothing would eat it if you produce fruits to help disperse seeds.

I have my doubts that this will do any good though. I don't know if parasites have these receptors either. So I think it may not affect them at all either. But you never know until you try.

If this works, just plant some cayenne peppers in your garden and feed them to the chickens.