Cider Vinegar....

anyone use cider vinegar...? I used to use it but stopped a couple of years ago, anyone tell me what it does for the pigeons, and why fanciers give it...?

It has a high percentage of acetic acid, potassium, amino acids and antioxidants.
It can help kill pathogens including bacteria and prevent them multiplying and reaching harmful levels.
Using it regularly in a pigeons diet will lower the chance of E.coli in the loft.

Lowering the ph in the intestine of the bird stops trichomoniasis developing.

It supports digestive and circulatory systems and has antibiotic properties.

It can be used in their water, on their food and also in their bath water.

Dosage: use a glass or plastic bottle to agitate the mix before giving to the birds.
Add 1 tablespoon per 1 litre of water, do not overdose.
Use 2 to 3 days a week, this is enough to boost the birds immune system.
e.g. Mon Wed Fri.

On food: 1 tablespoon per 1Kg of food. Sprinkle on food mix well then let dry for 1 hour. On food only offer twice per week e.g. Tue & Fri.

When first used it may cause soft droppings so maybe best to give half portion until birds get used to it.

Bathwater: 200ml per 20 litres of water. Feathers will become very shiny and free of parasites.

good info steve ... I always use it in the bath water

Do you notice your birds feathers are shiny Darren.

seen some cider vinegar at asda yesterday, is this the type we need for pigeons or is this only for cooking with.....do we need the apple cider vinegar ive seen at the corn shop they give to horses...?

mother cider vinegar david with all the bits floating about in it ....yes steve I do m8

oldstrain wrote:

mother cider vinegar david with all the bits floating about in it ....yes steve I do m8

where do you get that from Darren...?

White vinegar. 5% Acetic acid. Apple Cider vinegar. 5% Acetic acid. Natural vinegar. 5% Acetic acid. Fish and Chip vinegar. 5% Acetic acid. Doubt if there is any difference.
Mediterranean sea salts are better than regular salt. So I have been told. No additives etc,.

whats yer thoughts on using vinegar hal, do you use it...?

Yes I do. Apple cider or plain white. 2 or 3 times a week right now. Will be mating early December so eliminating unseen bugs. If they have any.

halcanada wrote:

White vinegar. 5% Acetic acid. Apple Cider vinegar. 5% Acetic acid. Natural vinegar. 5% Acetic acid. Fish and Chip vinegar. 5% Acetic acid. Doubt if there is any difference.
Mediterranean sea salts are better than regular salt. So I have been told. No additives etc,.  

Once salt was just salt to us normal folk Hal These days go into a health food store & you can have a differant type salt for every day of the month etc. Himalayan salt is the latest one with all the goodies in it "98 I think" .  

careful using it in the bath water,yes they feel more silky
but to much takes the oils out....I know iv done it.
I now just use naturaline in the drinker and a good pigeon bath salts
in the bath.
trying a few drops of tea tree oil in the bath now,not made my mind up on
that yet.

fieldwalker wrote:

careful using it in the bath water,yes they feel more silky
but to much takes the oils out....I know iv done it.
I now just use naturaline in the drinker and a good pigeon bath salts
in the bath.
trying a few drops of tea tree oil in the bath now,not made my mind up on
that yet.

thought of tea tree oil before walker, I assume it would be great for killing any fleas / mites etc.......when my daughter was younger at school we always used tea tree oil on her hair, she never had any problems with nits, whereas the rest of the class were swarming with them.


used to use naturaline, but stopped for some reason, cant remember why..........

David wrote:

fieldwalker wrote:

careful using it in the bath water,yes they feel more silky
but to much takes the oils out....I know iv done it.
I now just use naturaline in the drinker and a good pigeon bath salts
in the bath.
trying a few drops of tea tree oil in the bath now,not made my mind up on
that yet.

thought of tea tree oil before walker, I assume it would be great for killing any fleas / mites etc.......when my daughter was younger at school we always used tea tree oil on her hair, she never had any problems with nits, whereas the rest of the class were swarming with them.


used to use naturaline, but stopped for some reason, cant remember why..........

I'm a black fella type bloke here 65,000 years of history in each bottle. No pigeon attached as such, but cheap which is to my liking. Drink a bottle & it will be your last drink I suspect, but used in moderation  & it has some value. Loft spray/bath I even use it in there water troughs in moderation, along with my little brown bottle . Eucalyptus oil .  

watched a video the other day knackered, shows how to make eucalyptus tea, using dry leaves.......wouldn't mind having a go but not sure if they available here, not seen them anywhere.

you can get them dried and bagged from ebay David

ah right, thanks colin, I`ll have a look.........

Knackered. Use the salt to hatch Brine Shrimp. Some times the birds get it but enough salt in the iodized mineral blocks I break up for them. Livestock blocks. Cheap!!

David wrote:

oldstrain wrote:

mother cider vinegar david with all the bits floating about in it ....yes steve I do m8

where do you get that from Darren...?

horse supplies or health shop david