Organic Poultry Farming - The Use Of Spices

Spices are useful in our day to day activities especially for cooking of food. Only few people know that these spices can also be used to cure certain ailments in the poultry flock. It simply means that you cannot only cook your chicken with spices but also use the same spices to treat certain poultry infections. Ginger, pepper, salt, garlic, aloe vera, turmeric and sour milk are just among the food and spices that are medicinal in nature. They are therefore essentially required by farmers practising organic farming. Below are some medicinal spices and their ethno-veterinary importance:

1.) Garlic
Garlic is a family of onions. It boosts birds' immunity, fights respiratory diseases and also produces sulphur in the body. It can therefore kill external parasites because the sulphur in the chicken's blood will overpower the parasites. Just add 3 cloves of garlic to 5 litres of water or a pinch or two of powdered garlic in dry feeds everyday.

2.) Ginger
Ginger has antiviral properties. Ginger in chicken feed or drinking water will boost appetite, helps digestive system and also acts as immune booster. Add a small pinch of ginger powder to the birds' feed, feed it as whole or grind it.

3.) Pepper
Pepper has been known to improve metabolism. It is useful as it kills parasites that cause digestive problems like coccidiosis. It also kills worms by burning them. Half teaspoon of powdered pepper can be sprinkled in chicken feed or feed to them free choice.

4.) Aloe vera
Aloe vera is very bitter but aloe vera juice acts as an appetizer and can also be used in treating wounds. Squeeze a few drops of aloe vera juice into the wound, it prevents cannibalism. It is a natural antibiotic when 5 ml of it is added to 3 litres of drinking water.

5.) Sour Milk
Sour milk act as a probiotic, it improves immunity as it kills harmful bacteria in the birds' intestine. Add it to feeds to form lumps but do not drench or add it to drinking water, it prevents diarrhea.

6.) Salt
Salt is poisonous to chicken at high concentration but can be beneficial to the birds incase of heat stress. You only need 1 cup of water, ⅛ teaspoon of salt and 1½ teaspoonful of baking powder. This is served to every bird.

7.) Pumpkin or Cucumber
The pumpkin or cucumber seeds are capable of controlling worms when ground and a teaspoon is mixed with 5 litres of drinking water.

8.) Pawpaw seeds
Pawpaw seeds is a good dewormer, also prevents coccidiosis infection. To use the seeds as dewormer, dry the seeds for two weeks, grind them and mix 10 grams of the powder to 10litres of water.

9.) Turmeric
Turmeric has antiviral property. It can be used to treat respiratory infection and fowl pox. To treat fowl pox, lime and turmeric can be added to the birds' drinking water in a moderate dose.

10.) Cayenne or Black Pepper
Cayenne and black pepper are highly effective in prevention and treatment of coryza, newcastle disease and fowlpox. 30 grams of powdered cayenne or black pepper can be added to drinking water to treat newcastle disease or less to prevent the disease. Molasses can be added to improve the taste and also serve as multivitamins.

Note that:
* The natural medicines can be used alongside conventional drugs and vaccines.
* The use of organic drugs do not cater for biosecurity measures. To fight off diseases, biosecurity measure must be in order.
* This medications may firstly be tested on small scale poultry farming, like 100 birds.
* When using all these medications, use conventional drugs in a controlled manner, avoid misuse of antibiotics and always vaccinate your birds as at when due.

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