Electrolytes For Chickens

Electrolyte is a form of drink which replenishes essential salts lose after hard exercise, illness or infection, profuse sweating or lost liquid through vomiting. Chickens do not have sweat gland, they do not vomit as humans but do lose salts due to infection, disturbance and heat stress or overheating. Electrolytes help body rehydration by replacing salts like sodium, bicarbonate and potassium which promote healthy functioning of body cells and organs. 

When to use electrolyte for chickens?
* For weak chicks which could have had a long struggle to hatch.
* Pasty butt i.e when to vent of chicken is wet and clogged.
* Chicks or adult birds suffering from wry neck require a mixture of vitamins and electrolyte.
* Overheating of brooder or coop can lead to the need of electrolytes.
*  When the birds are suffering from frostbite.
* Overcrowding in the coop.
* Transportation of birds, no matter how small it is.
* Illness in the poultry.
* Infestation.
* Too much handling by inexperienced people.
* Awareness of predators around the coop.
* The death of others in the flock.

Homemade Electrolytes
Apart from commercial packaged electrolytes, one can prepare inexpensive electrolyte at home. To prepare homemade electrolyte, just add:
* One tablespoon of granulated sugar
* One teaspoon of baking soda
* One teaspoon of table salt
* One teaspoon of potassium chloride (optional) to one gallon (about 4.5 litres) of clean water and continue mixing to for a homogeneous mixture. Add the electrolyte to drinking water for your chickens.
Note that you can replace potassium chloride with coconut water which contains about 5% potassium. Just add clean water to any available volume of coconut water to make one gallon,  then add the remaining recipes. 

For quick updates and comments, follow us on our social media connects; FacebookPage, TwitterHandle and Instagram.  You can also subscribe and watch videos on our YouTube channel.  At Artib Farm, we materialize your satisfaction!