3 Myths
Within the poultry world
Comming into the poultry world. You want to do the best for your birds but there is so many confusing rumours, facts and people always thinking they know best. Lets go thrue 3 of these.
DISCLAMIER: I am not an expert. This text in based on my research and my experience.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple Cider Vinegar is a popular trend in the hobby chicken community. Its famous for having all sort of miracle healing propities.
It said to help the immune system, to help battle disease, increase mucos flow, deworming and stopping diarrhea.
The trend with ACV (Apple cider Vinegar) first appeared when antibiotic resistant bacteria started to appear. The community tried finding other resources that could replace the antibiotics within agriculture. Thats how the effects of ACV was discoverd.
The trend has lived on for many years and is today popular within the common backyard flock. The fact is with popularity comes false claims.
People love the use of ACV cause they say they never had a sick chicken or pests, but equal could use the same claim on the other said cause they have not use ACV they have healthy birds.
Dont expect ACV to be a miracle cure.
Equal amount what ACV claims to help with there is downsides. Some of these are:
- ACV delays how the stomach empties and also giving am effect of feeling full. In sick birds this can be the diffrence between life or death, since it takes longer time for them to get their nutriens.
- ACV lowers the potassium levels in the body. A side effect of this is weak bones and heart problems.
- There is also observations that the chickens drink less cause they dont like the taste. Also proven that ACV has a burning effect on the skin and throat.
There is specfic research that ACV can help in some cases, like decreasing the harmful bacteria in gut and keeping algea and bacteria from the water containers.
But like said there is an equal amount of disproven facts against ACV, so why risk it?
Today we have specfic probiotics made for our birds unlike our ancestors had. Its better to use this for the same thing ACV claims to do.
There is good studies involving acidified copper sulfate to clean water containers. Personally I just load mine in the dishwasher time to time.
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Natural Deworming
We always think that natural are better than chemicals. Rumours that you can naturally deworm your birds are doing more harm than good.
There is no such thing as natural deworming, it takes more to kill off a worm infection like that.
BUT you can boost the gut health of your bird with natural remedies like pumpkin seeds. This makes a hostile envoriment for the worms and reduce their numbers (most likley only temporary).
Its always recommended to do a fecaltest of your birds if you suspect worms. This is to know what type of worm infection they have but also like bacteria, worms are getting more resistant to the drugs we are using. Deworming when you dont need to contributes to more resistant worms.
When one of my silkies tested positive for tapeworm eggs. I looked uo what drug is the most efective for that type of worm. With her treatment I boost her gut with the product Verm-X Orginial to help her flush out those eggs.
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Protein and Silkies
When I first started with silkies, I heard and reas everywhere that they need a higher protein diet than other breeds.
I have never found any facts or studies saying why they need more protein and no one gave me a real answer why they need more protein.
So many said it, so I always believed in this myth. Until I joined this facebook group "Crossbeaks and Special needs". They could back up with facts why this myth is harmful. Facts that you silkies will get gout from this amount of protein, people are recommending, but also that it takes away the focus from what they need: correct vitamin supplementation. (Silkies get Vitamin deficincies easily)
I never found where this myth comes from. I still see today people recommending huge amount of protein for their silkies, not having the facts to back up why.
My guess that this myth stems from their unqiue feathercoating, that they some how need more protein cause of it.
Silkies do fine around 16-20% protein feed like any other breed. Its crucial to have them on a multivitamin supplement.
I feed my silkies a type of layer feed thats made to be mixed with grains. With every serving I give them powderd multivitamins. Once a week they get liquid vitamins in their water.
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