Ways to Improve Health?

[pdirt]

x2 on the probiotics. Yes, the immune system is largely in the digestive tract. Contrary to popular belief (at least for humans which is the research I'm most familiar with), probiotics and probiotic foods do not typically re-populate your gut with the good bacteria. But the good bacteria do help digest food and fight the good fight on their way through the GI tract. And so, you have to keep eating probiotics or probiotic foods on a regular basis. I imagine it's similar for chickens.

Lots of folks ferment their chicken feed as an inexpensive way to boost probiotics. You don't need anything fancy and there are several threads on BYC on the subject.

Personally, I brew a probiotic liquid called EM (effective microorganisms) which is a mixture of yeasts, lactic acid bacteria (probiotics) and phototrophic bacteria. It's a powerful and inexpensive resource of probiotics, minerals and antioxidants. I drink it myself, use it to reduce odors in the chicken coop by spraying it down (in warmer months), sometimes put in the chickens' water and most recently, ferment their feed with it. I also use it in the garden as pest control and "probiotics for the soil". The stuff has so many uses and it saves a ton of money from buying these things separately.

And -56F is just freaking cold. I imagine that temps like that are going to cull your flock of weaker birds. Whether the bird was weaker due to genetics or some (potentially improvable) deficiency in their immune system, I suppose you'll never know.

 

[Tacswa3]

What I like to do is alternate ACV, probiotics and plain water throughout the week. I have been doing this for years and my birds seem to thrive on it.

I get my probiotics on line here, a product called. "Probios". You can get them on Amazon...

http://www.amazon.com/Vet-Plus-Probios-Dispersible-Digestive/dp/B001BM1QRC

It never hurts to add a good vitamin/mineral supplement to their diet as well occasionally. Make sure they are getting outside during the winter too for fresh air and exercise. And provide good ventilation in your coop so that they are getting plenty of fresh air throughout the coop. Will do wonders for them too!

Good luck with your birds!

How much of this pro biotic supplement do you give each day. I see it says "sprinkle on food" so I'm curious how much to give for chickens?

 

[TwoCrows]

Quote:
I put 1/4 teaspoon in a quart water jar or 1 teaspoon in a gallon waterer. Change it daily if you use it for more than one day. I have used it for weeks on end when birds have crop issues. You can also sprinkle it on food. I feed my birds mash in one of those small black rubber tubs. So I was adding about 1 teaspoon per pound of food. I don't add it to food anymore. I have been adding it to the water lately. The feed that I make has some probiotics in it already

 

[spies04]

Thank you so much for all of this great information!! This helps me so much and gave me a lot of great things that I had not considered before. Appreciate you sharing!!

 

[Tacswa3]

TwoCrows - Thank you for posting that

 

[flickerloo]

My hens were not terribly healthy when I got them (18 months old, lots of worms and leg mites). Because Scratch and Peck feed is the most local and most healthy feed I can get, I use both the corn-free feed and two different kinds of S&P scratch. I had been wetting it or mixing it with yogurt. But when I started fermenting it, I saw a major improvement in health..... Less smelly poop, legs healing up from the severe scarring. I combine the feed, scratch, black oil sunflower, pumpkin seeds, and sometimes finely chopped veggie and apple scraps into the fermentation bucket. They tear into it in the morning with all the gusto of sharks!

 

[2chicks poultry]

Two Crows I was just wondering what mash mixture you would recommend? I been wanting to feed mash but I never knew what to mix together.

 

[Michael Apple]

Avian Super Pack: http://www.asp-inc.com/products/documents/prodinfo/a/aviansp.pdf

Probios dispersible powder: http://www.probios.com/powdersgranules1.html

 

[2chicks poultry]

Oh ok thank you

 

[careyls]

I mix this concoction up for mine regularly:
Mix together:
SCRAMBLED EGGS-- a perfect protein.
An ORGANIC APPLE with peel, diced very small. (The pectin in apples is one helps flush out toxins)
1/2 tsp MOLASSES ( a natural blood builder and is full of iron and lots of healing properties)
FRESH GARLIC, minced ( is high in sulfur which is toxic to the parasites that plague chickens. When chickens have been on garlic for a while they can't become overrun by mites, lice, or worms as garlic permeates the flesh. It also helps fend off many diseases and harmful microorganisms as they too cannot tolerate levels of sulfur that are harmless to the birds. It also speeds healing.
1/8 tsp APPLE CIDER VINEGAR-- you want the organic, unpastuerized, unfiltered. (Many uses!-- It's been shown to boost calcium absorption from feed & treats-- that makes for nice eggs; aids in the removal of mucus build up in the digestive tract that may contribute to sour crop; prevent or reduce the severity of pasty butt; helps with parasite prevention)
VITAMIN E-- 1 capsule squeezed into the mixture. (helps with potential kidney issues and improves overall immune function)
1 drop of FLAX OIL (helps keep them in top condition with healthy glossy plumage)
1/4 tsp CAYENNE PEPPER-- (some diseases that cayenne pepper is used to prevent involve worm cysts that are infected, (blackhead) and these are activated by the stomach acid once eaten. If cayenne is also eaten, it literally burns the now unprotected parasite and the protozoan disease that may have hitchhiked in there with it. It is also great for removing established adult tapeworm, as garlic takes longer as the sulfur has to build up to do its job, whereas cayenne burns the worms until they cannot feed and will evacuate the host).
You can mix all of this with some cooked oatmeal to help it bind better if necessary.