Besides supplementing the diet with daily fresh greens and weeds, extra minerals are important when chickens are less able to forage for worms and insects.
Seaweed (Kelp) supplements can give your poultry a great boost especially during their molting season, if their egg shells have become very thin or their laying frequency has decreased. Many who show their poultry also swear by it to help their birds look in top condition.
IMPORTANT SALT NOTE
Seaweed from the beach is very high in salt and can damage poultry health. Seaweed needs to properly processes to remove these extra salts to a safe level, and to be sourced from a clean, unpolluted water environment. So please do not be tempted to take seaweed off the beach to give to the hens, as tempting as it looks.
FORMS
Seaweed supplements come in two (2) forms:
A water soluble formulation is always taken up the quickest - usually at a ratio of 1 teaspoon for 1 Litre of water.
Administer once a week.
Can be mixed with food or water or given orally.
The benefit of liquid means that the enzymes in the kelp is broken down in a cold process making the vitamins, minerals, amino acids and elements more available to their digestive system, therefore requiring less to achieve results.
The dry form is added to the poultry feed - usually at a ratio of 1 teaspoon over 2kg of food. (Or as directed).
Administer up to 3 times per week.
It can come as a stand-alone form of kelp or mixed with other supplement ingredients.
(LIVAMOL does not contain kelp but many other similar beneficial nutrients, as an alternative to a kelp supplement).
TYPICAL ANALYSIS
Minerals and Trace Elements:
Calcium, Colbolt, Copper, Iron, Boron, Magnesium, Manganese, Iodine, Phosphorous, Potassium, Selenium, Sodium Chloride, Sulfur, Zinc.
Vitamins:
A, B1, B2, B3, B6, C, E, Choline, Pantotene, Carotene.
Many boast of anywhere between 40 to 70 minerals and trace elements in their products.
BENEFITS
WITHHOLD PERIOD
There is no withhold period. It is safe to consume eggs and meat of poultry who are on a diet consisting of seaweed/kelp.
IMPROVEMENTS IN HEALTH
Improvements of health should be noticeable within 3 to 7 days.
TONIC RECIPE
Recipe from GreenHarvest.com.au
3 cups Layer Mash (crushed grain)
1 teaspoon liquid seaweed
1 Tablespoon molasses
1 Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
1 crushed garlic clove
Mix with hot water and allow to cool slightly. This quantity is sufficient for five birds.
This recipes is NOT SUITABLE for chicks as it contains molasses. Only give molasses to laying and adult birds.
AUSTRALIAN SHOPPING LINKS (click on images)
Seaweed (Kelp) supplements can give your poultry a great boost especially during their molting season, if their egg shells have become very thin or their laying frequency has decreased. Many who show their poultry also swear by it to help their birds look in top condition.
IMPORTANT SALT NOTE
Seaweed from the beach is very high in salt and can damage poultry health. Seaweed needs to properly processes to remove these extra salts to a safe level, and to be sourced from a clean, unpolluted water environment. So please do not be tempted to take seaweed off the beach to give to the hens, as tempting as it looks.
FORMS
Seaweed supplements come in two (2) forms:
- dry powder for feed
- liquid for drinking water
A water soluble formulation is always taken up the quickest - usually at a ratio of 1 teaspoon for 1 Litre of water.
Administer once a week.
Can be mixed with food or water or given orally.
The benefit of liquid means that the enzymes in the kelp is broken down in a cold process making the vitamins, minerals, amino acids and elements more available to their digestive system, therefore requiring less to achieve results.
The dry form is added to the poultry feed - usually at a ratio of 1 teaspoon over 2kg of food. (Or as directed).
Administer up to 3 times per week.
It can come as a stand-alone form of kelp or mixed with other supplement ingredients.
(LIVAMOL does not contain kelp but many other similar beneficial nutrients, as an alternative to a kelp supplement).
TYPICAL ANALYSIS
Minerals and Trace Elements:
Calcium, Colbolt, Copper, Iron, Boron, Magnesium, Manganese, Iodine, Phosphorous, Potassium, Selenium, Sodium Chloride, Sulfur, Zinc.
Vitamins:
A, B1, B2, B3, B6, C, E, Choline, Pantotene, Carotene.
Many boast of anywhere between 40 to 70 minerals and trace elements in their products.
BENEFITS
- The kelp supplement is said to have a powerful prebiotic effect which may benefit the microorganisms present in the poultry's gastrointestinal tract. This is turn benefits the poultry's immune system.
- Protein supplement - aids in refeathering during their molting season.
- May increase the weight and shell thickness, yolk colour and lowering of cholesterol of eggs.
- May reduce the levels of E.Coli in poultry faeces, which suggests overall better poultry health.
- May benefit fertility rates.
- Improved laying performance.
- Reduced incidence of loss of body weight.
- Improved eyes, legs and feathers.
- Help prevent (or treat) wry neck (Vitamin E and Selenium).
- Help prevent (or treat) curled toes (B1/B2).
- Benefits all animals: cattle, horses, pigs, cats, dogs, rabbits, hamsters, alpacas, emus and poultry.
WITHHOLD PERIOD
There is no withhold period. It is safe to consume eggs and meat of poultry who are on a diet consisting of seaweed/kelp.
IMPROVEMENTS IN HEALTH
Improvements of health should be noticeable within 3 to 7 days.
TONIC RECIPE
Recipe from GreenHarvest.com.au
3 cups Layer Mash (crushed grain)
1 teaspoon liquid seaweed
1 Tablespoon molasses
1 Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
1 crushed garlic clove
Mix with hot water and allow to cool slightly. This quantity is sufficient for five birds.
This recipes is NOT SUITABLE for chicks as it contains molasses. Only give molasses to laying and adult birds.
AUSTRALIAN SHOPPING LINKS (click on images)
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