Probiotics & Diatomaceous Earth

[Yermite]

Good morning! I've been doing research on natural ways to both increase my chicken's health and decrease the chance of pests and parasites. I came across a lot of good info about DE and have decided to incorporate it into our diet as well as our chickens,but there are many brands and so I'm wondering what some of you more experienced chick-keepers use. Also, probiotics have so many excellent qualities so I need to get some of that too, but again, many types, variations,brands, and uses.... any suggestions and/or recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

DE, most any brand as long as it's food grade. Non-food grade has been heat treated and has an additive.
I don't put it in the feed. IMO, the jury is still out as to any effectiveness. I do sprinkle it on roosts, bedding and nests when I refresh that stuff.

Probiotics. I found a new product I use which is formulated especially for chickens that is based on research done in Egypt. It's inexpensive and a 100 gram packet treats 28 gallons of water or 400 pounds of feed.
http://www.gro2max.com/
Or you could use some plain yogurt or kefir with active cultures for a start.

 

[Yermite]

Thanks a bunch. I saw several food pased ways to incoperate probiotics. I guess I was thinking that I had to buy it in some powder form. I'm happy to know that there's many options. I already feed my chickens cottage cheese weekly, but man oh man, I would not mind keeping kefir cheese in the fridge regularly. It's just sooo difficult to get where we live in Newberry Springs, Ca. I'm going to our local feed store this morning just as soon as it opens. I believe they'll have the food-grade DE, otherwise I'll buy it online. I appreciate your speedy response.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

The DE goes a long way. I wanted to save money once and bought 50# online and the shipping was a big hit.
It lasted a year and a half.
The kefir I put in the fermented feed is more like a smoothie and says 11 different active cultures.

 

[Yermite]

Do you make your own kefir?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

No. A friend of mine does but I buy mine just for FF starter. I don't have the time between big gardens, 8 flocks of chickens and keeping up a 110 year old house.

 

[Yermite]

Oh wow! It does sound like you're a busy person! I'm going to get the DE a.s.a.p. and I'll work in more probiotics via yogurt/kefir too! Just now I went outside to check on one of my hens only to see that the two young light brahmas I just got were pecking at her comb! She's my pride and joy. She's my oldest chicken and she's a beautiful Silkie. They've pecked her enough to draw blood! What should I do?! Why wasn't she fighting back?!

 

[nab58]

I bought kefir grains for myself but couldn't stomach the taste. I've been making kefir and feeding to my birds daily mixed with scraps. They love it!
My kefir grains keep growing, I wish I had someone local I could share them with. I've just been feeding the excess to the girls.

I buy store bought, flavored kefir for myself now, it tastes so much better than the homemade stuff which tastes like yeasty, sour milk.