What's Apple Cider Vinegar for??

[LilyRoseDaisy]

Hi! I read that some members add ACV to the water for chickens. What's that for?
Thanks!!

 

[Malibufarmer]

for parisits

 

[4H kids and mom]

Not just for parasites, although it does make a good all natural way to safely remove them from your flock. ACV is also used to aide their digestion and their ability to absorb vital nutrients like calcium. It helps sick poultry recover faster, and eases stomach upsets, too. You can feed it to your poultry (one capful to every gallon of their drinking water for healthy birds, or 2 capfuls to each gallon when birds are ill, recovering, brooding young, or just need a little extra boost.)

It's also great for your other pets and livestock, and even YOU!

You can also mix a stronger sollution and use it as an all natural cleaner that gets the gunk off, without nasty fumes or worry about your animals injesting it and becoming ill. Oh, and ACV makes a great weed killer too! Just take a little of it full strength and drip it down the stems of weeds and they die within days. (Its not picky though, so avoid getting it on your grass of other plants!)

 

[Barnyard Dawg]

Here is some good info on ACV.
http://www.cagenbird.com/vinegar.htm

 

[LilyRoseDaisy]

THANKS SO MUCH EVERYONE! That's some very helpful info. I'll start using it!

 

[doodledo]

Hi,
How old can the chicks be to give them this? I just got my chicks today, is this to early?
THANKS

 

[fowlweatherfriends]

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[Half-a-dozen]

That is some really great info.
Does anyone have any other really great home remidies and tips like that. If it's not to much trouble to mention?

 

[cookinmom]

Quote:
What in the world is this????? Is this what my kids call someone getting hacked?

 

[dlhunicorn]

ACV (through lowering the gut PH) will help make the intestinal environment unwelcome for the growth of o.a. E. Coli and salmonella etc. but it will do nothing against parasites (except that when the bird is healthier it has a better chance of dealing with parasite challenges)...it will also help in calcium uptake...here is an article with some useful info:
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/articles/246/effects-of-water-acidification-on-broiler-performance
Effects of Water Acidification on Broiler Performance
Comments and Conclusions
This research project found no significant improvement in average weights, feed conversion or water consumption when the drinking water pH was lowered to 3, 4 or 5. The results indicate that birds are very tolerant of a wide range of pH water. The findings that the crop pH was significantly lowered by reducing the water pH might explain why producers have reported that bird droppings become more firm when acidifiers are added to the water. The crop serves as a storage compartment for consumed particles.

Nature designed the crop to store whole bugs and seeds, not the finely ground, easily digested feed utilized by broilers for efficient feed conversions. If the crop is full of feed and poor quality water is added, then there is an increased risk for the development of harmful bacterial and mold that could impact the rest of the digestive tract. However, research done in Alabama by Hardin and Roney (no date) found that a pH range of 4 was not favorable for bacteria such as E. coli, Salmonella and Clostridium to grow and thrive.
The current research indicates that it is possible to decrease the drinking water pH to a range that would lower the crop pH to almost 4, thus creating an environment that is hostile for undesirable microbes. However, given the diversity of drinking water sources it is a very good idea to measure the pH of the drinking water when using acidifiers at manufacturer’s recommendations because the natural buffering capacity of water may result in reduced impact of the acidifier on pH. It may even be necessary to add more acidifier to the stock solution to achieve a lower drinking water pH.