Last updated on October 23rd, 2023 at 08:47 pm
Cider vinegar has many health benefits. As for white vinegar, it is known for its cleaning and disinfecting properties. You certainly use it, but did you know that your chickens could also benefit from it? Here are a few “tricks” you can do with vinegar to take care of your little laying hens. Yes, collecting the fresh eggs they lay and giving them your peelings is good. But when you decide to raise chickens, you also have to take care of them to protect them from pests and keep them healthy. Here’s how vinegar can help you do that!
Good to know: Vinegar is not only useful for those who have chickens. Other animals can benefit from vinegar.
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1 – Vinegar to sanitize your hens’ watering hole
Adding a little cider vinegar to your hens’ water will, thanks to its antibiotic and acetic properties, eliminate the bacteria present in their respiratory system. It also helps clean the digestive system and strengthens the immune system of your birds. So remember to put two or three spoonfuls of vinegar in the water every other day or so. Make sure that the container is not made of metal. The vinegar attacks the metal, releasing chemicals into your birds’ water.
2 – Remove lime from water bowls
As you know, lime scale forms. And limescale is a real breeding ground for bacteria. To get rid of it, it’s very simple, just add a little white vinegar in the container, let it sit for a few minutes and rub it with a sponge. Then wash the bowl as usual with soap and water. Then do the same to disinfect your pullets’ feeders.
3 – Cleaning the nests
Spraying a little white vinegar on the nesting boxes and walls of your small hen house will prevent the proliferation of mites, lice and other parasites that your hens like. Plus, it’s natural so it’s safe to use in your chicken coop. Your hen houses will be impeccable!
4 – Clean your hens’ feet
Mix a little white vinegar with water and gently scrub your hens’ feet. Dead skin will disappear, and you’ll also avoid fungus under the nails and infections from small cuts. You can also soak your hens’ feet in a shallow basin of vinegar water. Brush the feet a little and then rinse. They will be able to gab happily!
5 – Deworming the plumage
Prevention is better than cure. So, twice a week, spray a little white vinegar water near the neck, thighs and under the wings of your hens. The goal is to keep parasites off their plumage, or to give them time to proliferate so that your chickens don’t suffer.
Perhaps our article on chicken lice will also be useful in your backyard!