To those who put vinegar in the water...

[Tam'ra of Rainbow Vortex]

Thanks everyone for this info!
I love how many things I learn here.

 

[Neil Grassbaugh]

Quote:
Here is something that many here may not be so thankful to hear-

From the University of North Carolina-

"In recent tests of 95 wells used for North Carolina poultry flocks, 16 percent had pH values below 6. Acid drinking water can affect digestion, corrode watering equipment, and be incompatible with medicines and vaccines. Field research indicates that drinking water with a Ph lower than 6 can impair broiler performance. Water with a pH between 6.0 and 6.3 is suspected of having a negative effect."

It is however a common practice in the commercial turkey industry to use a product called PWT http://www.jones-hamilton.com/products_pwt.html the last few days before slaughter to lower the pH of the drinking water to as low as 3.0 to kill off bacteria in the gut. This would never be done to birds before the end of the growout period. Many types of watering systems are also adveresely effected by this product utilized at extreme levels.

In the long run a pH level of 7.0 is considered optimum for poultry. If you are going to use vinegar in poultry water test it with lithmus paper,. Don't just dump some in, and then some more because if a little is good a lot must be better.

BTW - I think that many of you are not really aware what "mother of vinegar" is or looks like. (Google it- I can hear "Ewwwwwww" now). If you think that the sediment in the bottom of the vinegar container is the "mother" you are misinformed. I'm a farm boy who was raised in a house with two wooden vinegar barrels in the cellar I know what it looks like. WOW- what pickels, creamed leaf lettuce, cole slaw that made!!! And my mother always insisted that some pears be included in the cider making for for the vinegar barrel. I do not remember, if I ever knew, the reason behind this. Perhaps it was just more of the folklore that makes ACV mystical.

Here is another litte factoid about unprocessed vinegar - with mother;

From Wikipedia

"Turbatrix aceti (Vinegar eels, Vinegar nematode) are free-living nematodes that feed on the microbial culture, called mother of vinegar - that is used to create vinegar - and may continue to persist in unfiltered vinegar.

Although they are harmless and non-parasitic, leaving eels in vinegar is considered objectionable and is not permitted in vinegar bottled for consumers in the United States. Manufacturers normally filter and pasteurize their product prior to bottling to prevent the eels from occurring.

Vinegar eels are often given to fry (baby fish) as a live food, like microworms. Vinegar eels are only found in unpasteurized vinegar. Vinegar that has been pasteurized no longer has the live bacterial and yeast culture that these nematodes require for sustenance."

My mother would have said - "If you never eat anything worse than that you will live to be a hundred." I was reallyonly concerned with the quantity of pickeld beets and eggs, made with homemade vinegar, that were still available.

But they are still nematodes.

 

[Nevada Desert Chick]

"In the long run a pH level of 7.0 is considered optimum for poultry."

My well water tested at 7.9 pH.... so I guess ACV isn't needed. * See below*

Thanks Neil for the interesting article!

**Edited: Well duh!

I just realized that a high pH number means that it's too alkaline. Guess I can use ACV!

 

[daffy428]

I bought some ACV with the Mother in it at Walmart in the aisle with all the other kinds of vinegar, etc. I was happily surprised! I have had my 11 chicks on it since day one( they are now 3 weeks old and growing like crazy!)