Ratio of ACV to water?

[bluelucky]

I was wondering what the ratio of apple cider vinegar to water is for 1 week old baby chicks? I have a 1 qt water'r I am using..

 

[chrryhlmschicks]

I hope I do not become a huge pain barging in on posts...seeing as I do not have an anser to your question...but wondering in case this is something I should be doing and why you use apple cider vinegar with chicks? thanks!

 

[FirewifeJess]

Pretty sure the ratio (for keeping healthy birds healthy, not for sick birds) is:
2.5 tsp / 5gal water

OR if using for chicks with smaller waterers, half a teaspoon ACV per gallon.

 

[bluelucky]

Thanks Jess..

 

[LILCHIKBIGCHIK]

1-2 tbsp per gallon not 2.5 tsp for a 5 gallon waterer, make sure it's a plastic waterer, the accidity will eat thru the galvy and poison your chickens

 

[jnoll]

I been adding one tsp/qt without any problems.My two week old chicks are doing great...

 

[killingthyme]

I been adding one tsp/qt without any problems.My two week old chicks are doing great...

Same here - since I purchased our chicks when they were day-old. No pasty-butt issues at all.

 

[A.T. Hagan]

Two to three tablespoons per gallon of water in plastic or glass waterers ONLY.

For a quart waterer I'd call it two teaspoons.

 

[Critterwoman]

I was having a terrible time trying to find Unpasturized ACV for my flocks water. I mean I checked feed stores, farm stores, etc. The only place I had seen it was to order online UNTIL yesterday I was buying groceries at our local Wal-Mart and in the vinegar section they had a "new item" sticker and there was Unpasturized ACV! I was tickled. It is 5%, is that good enough or does it need to be higher? I guess if it needs to be higher I could always use a little more, right? Thanks

 

[RuthanneG]

1-2 tbsp per gallon not 2.5 tsp for a 5 gallon waterer, make sure it's a plastic waterer, the accidity will eat thru the galvy and poison your chickens

Thanks for the amounts!

As a chemist, I can tell you that we store acid in glass in the lab. Acid dissolves plastic over time. Bases are stored in plastic. Bases will dissolve glass (amazing but true, which is why chlorine was and never will be in glass), and is always stored in plastic.

Since we never stored acetic acid (the acid part of ACV) in anything but glass, I can't speak to galvinized steel. Don't know the chemistry of acetic acid with galvinized steel. My first guess would be that it's unlikely to react, but I'd lean heavily on others' experiences here.

Thankfully, ACV doesn't dissolve plastic over time very quickly. It's a very, very weak acid, especially at the strengths used for chicken water.

It's easy to get confused, though. And I wanted to set the record straight.

The upshot of all this is, do what makes you feel the most comfortable.

And take good care of your chickens. : )