The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Miss Lydia]

I just read that it is thought that mites,lice,ticks and other parasites are not attracted to the blood of animals who eat a lot of garlic.
(I know I don't have to worry I eat a lot of garlic daily)

Won't find any mites on you then.

I just started my dogs on garlic daily to try and keep them free of fleas and ticks this coming spring, But does anyone know how much to give chickens?

 

[Crafty-Duck]

Crafty-Duck, whose quote is that in your signature? I looooove it!

I wish I knew!!! it's something I have read before (I don't know were) and have always remembered it.I looooooooove it too!!!!!

 

[Crafty-Duck]

I would think chopped up garlic free choice once every other week would be fine. Anyone else know for sure?

 

[lorain's fids]

So............How often does everyone feed their hens fresh garlic?

sorry off the subject a little bit!

I have 5 hens-they get one clove of garlic -mashed up(or through a garlic press) once a week-I mix it in some cooked quinoa or brown rice. They love it!

 

[lorain's fids]

I wish I knew!!! it's something I have read before (I don't know were) and have always remembered it.I looooooooove it too!!!!!

I may be wrong.... but it might be a quote from Martin Luther King.

 

[Rachel'sFlock]

I wish I knew!!! it's something I have read before (I don't know were) and have always remembered it.I looooooooove it too!!!!!

In medieval times there was a saying,

“Cur moriatur homo cui Salvia crescit in horto?”​

Apparently this translates to your quote. I can't find an origin for it

 

[Bulldogma]

I've heard about folks putting it in the water on occasion for prevention of worms. Garlic also acts as a natural antibiotic if used topically but it has to be used within about a 5 min. window to be effective like that.

So far I've just used ACV in the water and haven't done garlic but I'm thinking there are probably others here that use it... anyone?

I put garlic in my fermented feed about once a week. While not as good, the garlic powder is still effective to deter topical parasites.

I used crushed garlic bits and added it to the FF bucket the night before. I then just fed them their FF ration like I always do.
I would not do this again. Next time, I will add it directly to their FF in the bucket I feed from. I didn't like the garlic-y-ness in my FF factory bucket. So I made a new batch the next day.

As to how much, I would say a pretty good sized glug. Maybe more of a sploosh!

Oh! For folks starting a new batch of FF, consider using the Almanac's 'best days' chart. Surely this is the same sort of function as making saurkraut or pickles.
http://www.almanac.com/bestdays/timetable
It also gives the best days for butchering, too FYI. I always do mine on the suggested days.
Just throwing that out there.

Thank you so much for passing the almanac link to us!!

 

[Rachel'sFlock]

Thank you so much for passing the almanac link to us!!

No problem! I would be lost without their wisdom! I do almost everything 'by the moon'!

 

[chickmama1662]

It's good to see that almost everyone from the "road less traveled" thread is finding their way here. Thanks for starting it up. I'm also glad that I found it before there were hundreds of pages; much easier to keep up with this way.

 

[off-grid hen]

Does anyone have a link to studies about garlic as a worm preventative? How much is used? If it was studied, there has to be a threshold from the point it's not effective- to the amount that is.

I like simple and "Natural" as much as anyone else, but I'm a hard sell. I'm not saying it doesn't work, but I need to know how and why before I spend money in something that may or may not be effective.