Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) for chickens has had some very good press over the last ten years. There has been lots of research done where ACV has been added to one group of chicken’s water and the compared against the other ‘control’ group.
Cider Vinegar for chickens is acidic and it is this acidity that means ACV is a mild anticeptic and will kill a number of germs. In addition to this, it is claimed to act like a mild antibiotic. Antibiotics kill infectious bacteria that can cause disease in chickens.
In addition to these benefits, Apple Cider Vinegar is full of vitamins, minerals and trace elements that are beneficial to your chickens but you do have to be careful where you buy ACV from – don’t go rushing off to Tesco just yet!
Click Image to Buy on Amazon
Apple Cider Vinegar has been proven to help chickens with stress which is one of the main contributors to their immune system lowering and letting in disease. I use ACV during the following times:
- Moving house
- Introducing new birds
- If snow falls on the ground (a stressful change in environment for chickens)
- After a fright – eg fox attack
- After injury
- Once per month for a week for the health benefits
You can buy ACV from Amazon
Dillution Rate of Apple Cider Vinegar
ACV should be dilluted at a rate of 2% in fresh drinking water. This is the same as saying 20ml in every litre. Make sure you are using plastic water containers because it is acidic and will corrode galvanised containers. The normal rate at which to give to chickens in order to be beneficial is for one week per month. If you choose the first week of every month, it will be easier to remember. Chicks and growers can be given 0.5% ACV in water or 5ml per litre.
Do you have any information on Apple Cider Vinegar? Please leave me a comment below.
Novic chicken keeper, just got 6 chickens on Saturday they seem happy had 5 eggs all ready. How often do you put crushed garlic in the water? look forward to your reply, excellent information on your website
You can put it in continuously, it won’t harm them. There is more information on the use of garlic with chickens here: http://poultrykeeper.com/health-suppliments/garlic-for-chickens
Good stuff. Question though. I can’t find ACV, can i use coca-cola for its acidic value?
No, Coke contains sugar, caffeine and other things chickens shouldn’t have.
Hi there.
Can you give day old chicks ACV? im going to be giving them some vitmains aswell (intervits). Or do you think i should stick to one of them? Thanks
Yes, you can give it to chicks, I don’t know what effect it would have on the multi-vitamins.
Short / fresh spring grass is packed with vitamins, nutrients and minerals too – so if you can get them out for short periods on warm sunny days, once they have a few feathers. You can also pick some grass and give to them in a dish.
Thanks for the web page I really enjoyed reading it and also went onto the other web page you linked too. I was wondering if you can use both garlic and vinegar together or is it to much for chickens? (a friend told me how he puts garlic in his hens drinking water and they have always been healthy and just tonight I saw about using cider vinegar on a tv programme which led me to looking it up and to your website.
I use both although I don’t use them together. I can’t see any problem with mixing them though.
Intresting.please can I been giving ACV with other antibotic drugs.please can I use it fpr a day chicks then for what interval.thanks.
I would keep it separate to medication. You can use it with chicks without harm. I tend to use it after the first week for a couple of days per week.