Chickens that receive a nutritionally complete feed don’t require additional supplements like oyster shells, grit or scratch grains to boost energy. Phosphous helps them metabolize calcium efficiently for strong eggshells.
Vitamin and mineral deficiencies can damage a flock’s health and performance. These deficiencies may arise from changes to its diet or from stress caused by illness, moulting, extreme weather conditions or similar causes.
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Boosts Immune System
Many people search for food and supplements reputed to support their immune systems, including vitamin C, chicken soup, citrus fruits and berries, tea with honey and other items containing these components. According to research findings however, an ideal combination of nutrients within a balanced diet best equips your immune system against potential microbiological threats or inflammation.
Protein supplements are widely utilized in poultry feed to supply additional proteins required for healthy flock functioning and to promote strong immunity systems. Furthermore, these supplements contain vital vitamins, minerals, and other vital nutrients essential to supporting a strong immune system. Electrolytes may help maintain proper fluid balance in body tissues; amino acids (such as methionine and lysine) may help decrease protein consumption levels while helping limit amino acid concentrations; both can serve as powerful heat stress relievers. Astragalus is an increasingly popular ingredient among backyard chicken enthusiasts as its ability to prevent and shorten the duration of avian influenza has been demonstrated. Available as dried herb or powder form, Astragalus should be added regularly into their feed ration to maximize results.
Raw Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar contains an acetic acid which acts as a natural probiotic, aiding chickens with digestion. Furthermore, its presence can strengthen their immune systems to make them less prone to diseases; and has even been said to improve feather condition by making them look shinier and healthier looking.
Unfortunately, many of the claimed benefits of ACV have yet to be proven by scientific studies and depend on anecdotal accounts alone. Still, adding even a small amount to your flock’s water source is likely to help them, and can easily be made at home at minimal cost.
Add ACV slowly to your flock’s drinking water to prevent any potential gastrointestinal issues from occurring. Mixing it into their pellet feed, mash or simply diluting in their water supply are all options available to you. I recommend Bragg’s Organic Raw Apple Cider Vinegar as this unfiltered, unheated and unpasteurized formula contains the Mother of Vinegar found naturally as long strand-like enzymes connected by protein molecules – ideal.
Thyme
Thyme boasts antifungal, antimicrobial and immune-enhancing properties that may benefit poultry coops or pastures. Incorporating fresh or dried thyme into daily chicken feeding or water supplies or adding oil form in with their complete feed formula are all ways of providing fresh or dried thyme as part of a prevention strategy against infections. You could try providing it free-feed around the coop or pasture to ward off potential problems that might otherwise develop.
Thymol and its extracts have shown strong antiproliferative effects against breast adenocarcinoma, lung carcinoma and acute lymphoblastic leukemia cell lines in vitro. Furthermore, thymol has also demonstrated strong antifungal activities against Candida species; an opportunistic pathogen responsible for fungal infections in immunocompromised humans and animals alike that is often resistant to antifungal drugs – an acute threat in low resource settings.
Researchers at Chungbuk National University discovered that combining thymol, alpha-terpinene, and carvacrol can significantly decrease tiger mosquito larvae numbers – known carriers of diseases like Dengue fever, Yellow Fever, St Louis Encephalitis. Aqueous Thyme Extract also was shown to reduce blood pressure in rats although further research needs to be completed with human subjects.
Flax Seed
Flax seeds are a nutritional powerhouse packed with omega-3 polyunsaturated fats, specifically alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). Feeding flax seed to laying hens results in eggs with up to an eightfold increase in ALA when compared with non-fed hens.
Eating more whole flax seeds is proven to significantly lower cholesterol levels in your blood. Their lignans and fiber bind with bile acids in your digestive tract to minimize how much cholesterol your body absorbs from food sources.
Add flax seed to your diet as part of an effort to manage weight. A recent study found that individuals who consume more whole grains, including flax seed, are less likely to gain excess weight.
While flax seeds offer many health advantages, pregnant and lactating mothers should refrain from eating them due to phytoestrogens that could potentially be harmful. Consuming flax seeds during this time could disrupt your natural hormonal balance and cause complications with pregnancy or lactation.
