SteveC Posted April 21, 2011 Share Posted April 21, 2011 I've been doing some more reading of the Forums - this is bad for my health 'cos it always results in me finding something else that makes me wonder if I'm doing the right thing! . I always end up with more questions than I started with! So today's effort is ...... What do people add to feed to improve general health of the girls? I've seen people talking about Bokashi, Garlic and god knows what else - what has what effect? - what is best? - what should I do? Help please! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madchickenlady Posted April 21, 2011 Share Posted April 21, 2011 I add garlic powder to help reduce the smell of the more pungent poos , and poultry spice during their moult to just give them a general vitamins/mineral boost Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gongladosh Posted April 21, 2011 Share Posted April 21, 2011 we also add a bit of grit (for eggs and their crops) and bokashi bran (for drier poos) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
101fc Posted April 21, 2011 Share Posted April 21, 2011 mine just have grit though I have always wondered about giving them other stuff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tweety Posted April 21, 2011 Share Posted April 21, 2011 TBH, if you are feeding them good quality layers mash or pellets and they are healthy, they shouldn't really need anything else apart from grit. Having said that, I do add apple cider vinegar to their water now and again. If there are any runny poos going on, I add Herban to the water, and Lifeguard is a good tonic if they are moulting or under the weather. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavenders_Blue Posted April 21, 2011 Share Posted April 21, 2011 Just layers mash and grit used here, and occasional calcium when we have egg shell probs - this is used as a last resort though. I tried giving my girls some lifeguard once, but when they refused to drink for 3 days (I guess they didn't like the taste?) I concluded that it was doing more harm than good! I think my girls must just be fussy though, I have never heard of anyone else having this problem. I take the view that if my girls are happy and healthy, why supplement with anything? That's my view though and you will find what works for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C&T Posted April 21, 2011 Share Posted April 21, 2011 Lifeguard - our chooks also refused to drink, so gave up... Garlic - used a lot to reduce smells when they were on a cheaper food. I have now switched to a better brand - and one of the benefits we noted was an improvement in the poo smell, and we don't bother so much anymore. Bran - I do use if one of the chooks poo's are a bit runny - normally triggered by too much free ranging and not enough of their own food! Other than that, nothing except Grit and Worming treatment - which reminds me, I must start as that is overdue... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
52fish Posted April 21, 2011 Share Posted April 21, 2011 Apple cider vinegar in the water. Brokashi bran in with the pellets, which we'd heard reduced the smell as well as making the poo more firm. No complaints from the chooks on either count. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
