Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Poultry and Pets => The Hen House => Topic started by: gracie on May 01, 2011, 19:55
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What age do I need to add this to their, water. I have searched previous posts that give quantities etc, but not when to start.
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They never *need* it ;)
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Oh right, I take it you don't use it then. Will read up on it if I can find info and see what I think. Thanks
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Apple cidre vinegar can be used as a tonic (so in times of stress, e.g. after a moult). use 1tsp to 1L and ALWAYS have another waterer available with plain water in it.
Don't use for more than 1 week in every 4.
Oh, and it should be the one with the mother in it, not ht purified and pasturised one you get in the supermarket.
If you do wish to supplement, I probably wouldn't until they are going through/have gone through their first moult. (fully adult).
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It depends what you are using it for. Some people use it as a 'general tonic', some as a method to reduce algae in the drinking water, some as a way to keep the intestinal worm burden down. Whether you subscribe to any of these theories is entirely up to you. :)
Personally I began giving it to my pullets as soon as I got them at the age of 12 weeks. The breeder I got mine from uses ACV for all his birds from a very young age (I didn't ask him exactly what age he starts though).
I prefer to give it to my chickens in a damp mash, as I empty their water containers every day and a lot of ACV would be wasted if I put it in the water. Mine get a mash with chopped pumpkin seeds, ACV and raw garlic mixed with their normal ration of whole and cracked grains to make everything damp enough to stick together.
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Hi Lindeggs, just to warn you that if you feed raw garlic, you may end up with garlic flavoured eggs ;)
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Aha! Thanks for the warning! Could be delicious in an omelette but awful in a cake. :tongue2: