Chook Pellets harmful to calves & Apple Cider Vinegar -

[Brett Enright]

Well you may have all read about my chooks eating medicated calf pellets - no matter what I did I couldn't stop them. So, now I've got a supply of chook pellets, low to the ground, right next to the hanging bucket containing calf pellets. Therefore, the chooks dn't need to fly up into the buckets when there ready supply at ground level. I'm wondering if it matters if calves eat chooks pellets (16% protein, non-medicated) at all. They can't eat much, but if ocassionally they eat some, it wouldn't hurt them would it? Apart from it being nutritionally deficient of course...

Today my dad gave me a 5 litre bottle of 'Apple Cider Vinegar' which is supposed to be a flavour enhancer for cattle & horses. It will go off eventually, so I want to know if there is a way I can feed it gradually to the calves - maybe it will make stubborn calves want to eat - nice flavour? I don't know what it could be put on but.

Thankyou.
Brett Enright.

 

[Jay]

Brett-
It should be OK for your chooks (chickens?) to eat the spilled feed. Just a treat for them, I'd guess.
Some folks put apple cider vinegar into their critters' feed or their drinking water. I can't remember the correct ratio off the top of my head. I am thinking 1 teaspoon for calves & 1 Tablespoon for an adult horse top dressed into their feed. As for putting it into the drinking water...I once again off the top of my head am thinking 1 Tablespoon per gallon of water. Don't quote me on these measurements...
Do a websearch I'm sure you'll find the accurate measurements! Gee, maybe even in Metric! :lol:

 

[Brett Enright]

No Jay, sorry the reason I will not have my chooks (yes, thats Aussie for Chicken LOL) eating calf pellets is because I sell the eggs, and calf pellets are medicated: contain some sort of antibiotic, that although used to treat chooks, must NOT be found in the eggs. I cannot afford to have traces of this medication in the eggs. I know it won't harm the chooks, but the eggs can't have antibiotics in them!

Well I can't win - now that the chooks have no access to calf pellets but plentiful access to CHOOK pellets, I have the calves eating chook pellets too! The only way I will win this one is to put a fence down the middle of my 1 acre paddock. Although I make more money out of calves, my chooks are my #1 priority - they're called Free Range for a reason

So as long as the chook pellets, unmedicated, won't harm the calves I have no problem with the current setup ;-)

Thanks
Brett.