Apple Cider Vinegar and Garlic: Two of the best and natural essentials to keep your flock healthy
Don't we always try to prevent problems before they start? When we start to feel a tickle in our throat we immediately start taking medicine and drinking tons of water. So, we don't like getting sick. Chickens don't either. They are keen experts at hiding signs of illness and injury since they are prey animals. They can't tell us when they have a tickle in their throat or when they otherwise feel bad. So, as their owners and caretakers, it's our duty to prevent illness before it starts.
Apple cider vinegar and garlic are natural remedies to help prevent illnesses. They are both filled with vitamins and nutrients. Let's take a look at each one and how it will keep your flock healthy.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar (ACV) is useful in many ways. It is a good source of potassium and is quickly absorbed. Potassium is important to build strength and fight bacteria by flushing out toxins. It boosts a chicken's respiratory, immune and digestive systems and helps with calcium absorption. Also, it helps fight and prevent cancer, infections, diseases and illnesses. ACV is high in vitamins, electrolytes, probiotics and minerals. It also is thought to be a mild antibiotic. If you are going to be moving your chickens to new housing, introducing to the flock or if your birds are molting make sure to use ACV as it helps reduce stress levels.
Apple cider vinegar is used in many ways in chicken health. It's most commonly used in the water. (1 tablespoon per gallon.) This vinegar will fight off bacteria growth in the waterer itself. Note: Never use ACV in metal water containers as it will break it down and leach harmful chemicals into the chickens' drinking water. Some people even claim that their chickens prefer the taste of water with ACV instead of plain water! ACV can also be used in a bath for your chickens. ACV will kill and rid your chickens of any external parasites. Plus it conditions the skin. You can use ACV for cleaning nest boxes, feeders, waterers and incubators too.
I also like to make a salad for my chickens using ACV as a dressing. I use lettuce, carrots, berries, fruits, etc and then drizzle ACV on top. They LOVE it!
Note: Only use organic, bragg ACV with your chickens as this is free from chemicals and all natural.
Garlic
Garlic also has many health benefits. Garlic, believe it or not, can help prevent worms in your chickens. It boosts the chicken's respiratory and immune systems. It is also thought that if chickens eat garlic on a regular basis they will have a less likelihood of getting mites and ticks since their blood tastes like garlic! You may have heard that garlic effects the taste of eggs but I and other garlic users have never found this to be true.
You can use garlic by floating the cloves in the chicken waterer. You can add a powder to their feed (2-3 % ratio) or just throw out plain garlic to them free choice.
Conclusion
ACV and garlic are two helpful and important necessities of every chicken keeper. They will prevent illnesses and parasites and keep your flock looking and acting their very best! These two things will not prevent illnesses and diseases entirely but will defiantly help. Plus they also help when the chicken is actually sick.
Have questions? Feel free to PM me.
Don't we always try to prevent problems before they start? When we start to feel a tickle in our throat we immediately start taking medicine and drinking tons of water. So, we don't like getting sick. Chickens don't either. They are keen experts at hiding signs of illness and injury since they are prey animals. They can't tell us when they have a tickle in their throat or when they otherwise feel bad. So, as their owners and caretakers, it's our duty to prevent illness before it starts.
Apple cider vinegar and garlic are natural remedies to help prevent illnesses. They are both filled with vitamins and nutrients. Let's take a look at each one and how it will keep your flock healthy.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar (ACV) is useful in many ways. It is a good source of potassium and is quickly absorbed. Potassium is important to build strength and fight bacteria by flushing out toxins. It boosts a chicken's respiratory, immune and digestive systems and helps with calcium absorption. Also, it helps fight and prevent cancer, infections, diseases and illnesses. ACV is high in vitamins, electrolytes, probiotics and minerals. It also is thought to be a mild antibiotic. If you are going to be moving your chickens to new housing, introducing to the flock or if your birds are molting make sure to use ACV as it helps reduce stress levels.
Apple cider vinegar is used in many ways in chicken health. It's most commonly used in the water. (1 tablespoon per gallon.) This vinegar will fight off bacteria growth in the waterer itself. Note: Never use ACV in metal water containers as it will break it down and leach harmful chemicals into the chickens' drinking water. Some people even claim that their chickens prefer the taste of water with ACV instead of plain water! ACV can also be used in a bath for your chickens. ACV will kill and rid your chickens of any external parasites. Plus it conditions the skin. You can use ACV for cleaning nest boxes, feeders, waterers and incubators too.
I also like to make a salad for my chickens using ACV as a dressing. I use lettuce, carrots, berries, fruits, etc and then drizzle ACV on top. They LOVE it!
Note: Only use organic, bragg ACV with your chickens as this is free from chemicals and all natural.
Garlic
Garlic also has many health benefits. Garlic, believe it or not, can help prevent worms in your chickens. It boosts the chicken's respiratory and immune systems. It is also thought that if chickens eat garlic on a regular basis they will have a less likelihood of getting mites and ticks since their blood tastes like garlic! You may have heard that garlic effects the taste of eggs but I and other garlic users have never found this to be true.
You can use garlic by floating the cloves in the chicken waterer. You can add a powder to their feed (2-3 % ratio) or just throw out plain garlic to them free choice.
Conclusion
ACV and garlic are two helpful and important necessities of every chicken keeper. They will prevent illnesses and parasites and keep your flock looking and acting their very best! These two things will not prevent illnesses and diseases entirely but will defiantly help. Plus they also help when the chicken is actually sick.
Have questions? Feel free to PM me.
