I love these little girls! Here is part of our pack, our hens that is;) We have a variety of female chickens that we have been raising since babies in order to produce eggs for our little homestead. This is some information on ways to supplement their food, and treat their water to get the most OPTIMAL health and with minimal cost and input. We also have 12 quails (female and male) that we are raising for eggs as well, and meat when the time comes…
Aren’t they cute? They take up very little space, and are very quiet! In fact their sweet little chirps are actually just a soothing background noise in our home at the moment, before they are ready to go outside…
Below are the 3 main ingredients that we use to prevent illness, keep their feathers robust, and supplement their diet:
First off, whenever I use eggs for anything, I rinse of the inside of the shell and let it dry on my counter in an old egg crate (I save these as they are invaluable for all things egg and bird!)
Once they have dried out (takes about 24 hours) you can crush them up into a food processor or blender to make a fine flake or poweder which can then be mixed in to their feed to add calcium to their diet.
The next item on the menu is Apple Cider Vinegar (raw and unpasteurized). This is said to be a great health booster and makes for robust wings for the birds. It also seems to keep the waterer cleaner and free from scum.
The final item of discussion is grapeseed extract. This is a great multi-purpose additive that is so potent, just a few drops in the water is great to keep unwanted bacteria and viruses away from the birds especially in the cold winter months when illness can be a threat…
Happy bird-raising!
Sustainably Nourished 