probiotics for meat birds

[OwlLover]

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They don't NEED it, but it saved my silkie when she about died.

 

[jessicayarno]

Lots of people and animals can consume yogurt when they are "lactose intolerant"... I myself can't drink milk, but can eat the heck out of yogurt without any ill affects.. To each his own.. If it works keep doing it.. Those of us that don't want to give our animals a bunch of medications tend to find other natural approaches to keeping them healthy..

 

[EggsForIHOP]

I haven't learned how to make kefir or ACV yet - but that's on the list of things to do! I can NEVER find the real deal with the ACV - just the ultra super pasteurized stuff...kinda pointless isn't it? So I don't buy it. I DO know I can't drink store bought cows milk - that stuff does a number on me! But I CAN drink the raw goat milk - so I tend to believe maybe not for all, but some, it is a more tolerable option. IDK if it's because it's raw, or because it's from the goats with a somewhat different composition than cow milk...but it works here

Do I rely on it to fix everything - heck no! But it's a good thing to have around

(Plus the goats are just as fun to watch as the chickens!)

 

[galanie]

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I drank my first glass of raw milk a couple months ago and wow what a difference. I just plain don't like milk. Never have. And after being sick and going a round of strong antibiotics, I became lactose intolerant too. But since I don't like milk it didn't affect me too much. But if I drink plain milk, it'll still upset my stomach just a little.

Not so with the raw milk. It tasted great too! So I suppose I have always liked milk, just not what they do to it. This is cow milk I'm talking about but I always have heard that goat milk is easier on the system which is why it was given to infants quite often eons ago.

I'm with you on the yogurt though. Even at my worst lactose intolerance, I could eat yogurt fine, no problems at all. Back then, even a good ice cream (the kind made with actual milk) would upset my stomach. I normally don't say anything when people say not to feed yogurt because of lactose intolerant but making it into yogurt changes the lactose so that most can digest it. In fact it's often suggested for those who are lactose intolerant as a way to not be intolerant of it. That said, too much can still give chickens the runs. Kefir doesn't seem to have that effect though.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Chickens, left to their own devices, will eat lots of things we don't think of as chicken food. Mice, frogs, venison, poison berries. I think in small doses almost nothing will hurt them.
Traditionally in some cultures chickens are fed a whole milk diet several weeks before slaughter. Supposedly to add flavor to the meat and for the protein and fat.

 

[al6517]

I guess what I was really wanting to know is why after thousands of years the chicken as been surviving that all of a sudden they need a man made product in their diet that for the most part has just come into the mainstream for may the last 50 yrs. Where did chickens get their yogurt fix at the turn of the century if it is so important to their diet. Probiotics is a human medical term again thrust upon the poultry community because some are of the mindset that if it's good for the human digestion it must be needed for chickens as well. I am sorry I just really fail to see the hype or the need. Now on a personal note I have never fed yogurt to me birds, I don't see that they need it, they are healthy, digest their food just fine, and have normal poops. or is it that folks are doing so much over treating in the form of human food to chickens that it upset's them and therefore they need a human medical treatment. Someone please explain this to me, logicaly and in a real world kind of way.

 

[galanie]

Al, in my opinion, they don't need it. Pure and simple. But as, say, a good way to get some calcium in them, why not some yogurt or kefir. If you have it anyway. Mine don't touch the oyster shell but then with me giving them the kefir I'm sure they don't need it.

Humans don't "need" yogurt, etc. either really. I think it's a healthy addition though, in both cases. Just my opinion. Free and worth every penny.

 

[EggsForIHOP]

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I knew a chicken would eat anything...didn't know some cultures fed milk...that's pretty interesting...kinda like the chicken version of cabrito or veal I suppose...I'd never be willing to give up THAT much milk though...gotta have some for us!

Galanie - yeah, they pretty much only get the milk from the first 2 weeks post kidding - and not a whole lot because the chickens have to share with the hogs AND the baby goats! But I can't bring myself to just toss it down the drain...If you ever head up to Huntsville or Trinity from Houston, stop by and have a glass of the goat milk - it is the BEST ever ice cold and fresh! I actually bought a doeling from a lady over off of I-10 - they were city goats and you could see a Burger King sign from their yard - but she had chickens too and was another one that taught me to share my milk with the chickens. Really kind of a trip how in Houston it can be so industrialized and yet country just a block away! I can't wait to get some more experiments like kefir going after the goats freshen this year! Hopefully I'll figure that out pretty quick...bet the critters love it!

 

[al6517]

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Ok I see now so it's for the calcium supplement not for anything related to the gut or digestion is that correct. Now I can see that. I feed my egg shells back as a extra source of calcium, because every now and then when I see weak eggs or new layers, or getting ready for hatching season, or post molt, they need the extra calcium. And so is it used because it's easy to give or for those who have issues with feeding shells back or a problem finding crushed Oyster shells ??

 

[halo]

I feed Diamond V yeast culture to both my horses and my chickens.

http://www.diamondv.com/tech-original-yc/

http://www.diamondv.com/research-ce...B (Brown Strain Layers)_0111_vFINAL_lores.pdf