# Apple Cider Vinegar Question



## VStillman (May 16, 2011)

Hi, I read on a post that you could give Apple Cider Vinegar to Rabbits and Chickens? What exactly are the health benefits? How much to give to rabbits? Chickens? Thanks!


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## rockdoveranch (May 16, 2011)

At the moment I am too lazy to look up vinegar benefits, but I put about 1 teaspoon to 1 1/2 teaspoons of distilled vinegar in my rabbit's 32 ounce bottles.  I don't actually measure.  Most people recommend apple cider vinegar, but distilled is cheaper and has worked for me.

It keeps the bottles clean and sanitized, will clear up weepy eyes and keep them healthy. It is also good for promoting healthy skin.  

I started using vinegar in the dogs water after spending a small fortune on vet produces and antibiotics when my last Boxer started having skin problems.  Once I started putting the vinegar in the water his skin cleared right up and stayed healthy until he died.  No more vet visits for skin problems.

I know pigeon fanciers who put apple cider vinegar in their birds water and say it helps keep the birds healthy.


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## happydodgefarm6113 (May 16, 2011)

Braggs apple cider viegar has a cite on the internet where it tells you all about their brand of acv that is organic and it still has the "mother" setiment in it. I think the vinegar keeps the bodies pH levels regulated. Many people use it too. But go online to Braggs and read about it.    http://bragg.com/books/bhl_excerpt.html


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## jessica117 (May 16, 2011)

The main thing I use acv for is to keep the green alge from growing in my waterers in the summer.  I just put a small splash in the gallon chicken waterers and a bigger splash in the dog and goat water tubs (I would guess my small splash is around 2tsp and my big splash is around 2Tbsp.)  For my rabbits I only use a little.  I would guess around 1tsp per 32oz bottle (I think my bottles are 32 oz, they're the big ones they sell at walmart.)

One other thing is that I buy the cheapest biggest bottle that is actually ACV that I can find.  You have to read the label.  Some are white vinegar that is colored/flavored.  Hope this helps!


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## VStillman (May 16, 2011)

Thank you guys! I use apple cider vinegar and forgot about their website. I am definetly going to start doing this...Ill say it again, I love this site!   :bun


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## hoodat (May 17, 2011)

ACV has many benefits, many of which are hard to pin down. I use it on myself, one glass of organic ACV mixed with water and a dollop of honey every day.
For my rabbits I use it every time I change or fill water bottles. I don't measure; just add a small bit to each bottle. It can't do any harm. The rabbits seem to like the taste and it helps keep the immune system up. It's especially good for preventing urinary tract problems. The organisms that cause bladder infection cannot live in acid urine.
I use only organic with the mother in it so it's live. the difference in cost between top quality and poor quality ACV isn't going to break the bank.


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## VStillman (May 17, 2011)

Thanks! I use organic ACV also, my son doesnt like it. I will try adding honey to it for him and see how it works for him because he also has allergies and I am told that local honey can help allergies.
I am going to try on my bunnies and chickens. I wasnt sure how much to put in their water bottles, but am going to just add a small amount to each one. I have a 8 week old American fuzzy I just got on Saturday...I will most likelly wait until she is older unless someone else has tried it with sucess.


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## Beekissed (May 17, 2011)

I always used it for my rabbits, chickens, sheep.  One added benefit besides all the other wonderful benefits~it can help one have more female offspring.

I didn't believe it at first but found that I had more female kits than males after I started using the ACV.  Horse breeders found the same benefits.

Sheep owners found it made for healthier wool, longer fibers and resulted in lanolin being more evenly distributed along the fibers, thus bringing more profit at sale.  I never used chemical dewormer on my sheep but only ever gave UP/ACV, garlic, raw honey and sometimes a little Shaklees soap.  

It is best to have the unpastuerized ACV as it still has all the valuable probiotics intact but even regular ACV has great benefit.  

For chickens I found it as a benefit for general health and it also seemed to remove the strong sulfur smell and taste from the eggs...sort of clarified the taste and made for a richer, nuttier egg that didn't upset the stomach.  Some of my customers state my eggs were the only eggs they could eat without burping, heartburn and general upset of the digestive system.


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## VStillman (May 18, 2011)

Cool! Lots of benefits! I use the unpasturized also. I am also going to get the food grade DE to use with my chickens for natural dewormer and fly control... I want to use all natural/organic things only, if i can help it.


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## rockdoveranch (May 18, 2011)

I have always used the distilled white vinegar.  It cleared up my last Boxers skin, oozy, bleeding sores that came from nowhere, when I put it in his water.  No more expensive vet bills for systemic and topical medications.  It cleared away the red yeast tear stains from my new white Boxer when I put it in his water, and it cleared up the eyes of one of my French Lops when I put it in her water.  It keeps the rabbit water bottles and dog water bowls clean and fresh.  I use is to wash and sanitize the  feed bowls.  I use it to clean the toilet and entire bathroom. 

My father just died at age 95 and my mother is 86. They drink distilled white vinegar in a glass of water at bed time and have for years.  Pulmonologist recommend soaking nebulizer cups in distilled white vinegar and water to sanitize them.  

I use it when mopping the floor and in the washing machine to sanitize and freshen, and to freshen up drain pipes. 

Our money is tight, and a few cents saved here and there add up for us.

So please, can ya'll explain the difference between what I use and the ACV, and why you would recommend ACV over distilled.

Thanks much.


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## Beekissed (May 18, 2011)

Distilled derives from malt vinegar....Wikipedia has a great article on the differences of each kind of vinegar.  Who knows?  Maybe just the acetic acid is the best health benefit. 

 I know that the mother vinegar has all those great probios that increase nutritient absorption capabilties of the GI tract, as well as helping the whole digestive process.  

Myself?  I love red wine vinegar the best for my own consumption and have even given it to my rabbits in a pinch and they loved it.  Worked just as well as regular ACV.


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## rockdoveranch (May 18, 2011)

Thanks Bee!  I will check out Wikipedia.


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## rabbitlady4433 (May 18, 2011)

I'm definately going to go buy some now.  I just had a litter of 7 kits and 6 of them are boys! uggg.  I also didn't realize that it was good for humans too!  I have serious GI issues (eating rabbit meat is really a good thing for me) and I'm going to give it a try on myself and let my GI doc know how it goes.  Switching to rabbit meat has helped immensely, one more step and I just might be close to normal in the digestive state!  Whoot Whoot


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## flemish lops (May 18, 2011)

Quick question, does anyone know if baby bunnies can drink apple cider vinegar in there water? How much would you put in?


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## Beekissed (May 19, 2011)

Yes, they can and I wouldn't put so much in that they avoid drinking because of the taste.  I always put just enough in to tint the water.


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## rockdoveranch (May 19, 2011)

We only got one baby french lop in our first and only litter, but she has been drinking distilled vinegar in her water since she pooped out of the nest box and began drinking from the water bottle.  In the 32 ounce bottle I put in something like 1 to 1 /2 teaspoons of vinegar. I don't measure either, I just poor a little in.

I started our unplanned litter of puppies on it when I first started offering them fresh water.

My daughter's rescue Boston Terrier came to her with really bad skin problems and allergies.  He refused the vinegar water at first, so we added just a tiny bit at a time for him to get used to the flavor, then added more as time went on.

In my opinion, I think they get to where they really like the taste.


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## VStillman (May 19, 2011)

I am going to add to my water bottles right now!  I was kind of nervous to put it in my Little gal Annabelle's bottle (she is 8 weeks old-american fuzzy-sooo cute!) But I will add it in small amounts for all my rabbits, and just keep on checking it to make sure they are drinking.  Thanks for all your advice everyone!


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## flemish lops (May 19, 2011)

How long do you put the vinegar in the water for if a rabbit has a skin problem? Days, weeks, months, or untill skin is cleared up?


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## Beekissed (May 19, 2011)

If I were you I'd just plan on putting the vinegar in the water from now on.  Indefinitely.  Consider it just preventitive health maintenance and keep a jug handy where you fill your bottles and just put a glug in every time.


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## rockdoveranch (May 19, 2011)

Beekissed said:
			
		

> If I were you I'd just plan on putting the vinegar in the water from now on.  Indefinitely.  Consider it just preventitive health maintenance and keep a jug handy where you fill your bottles and just put a glug in every time.


I agree!  Great Advice!


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## VStillman (Jun 8, 2011)

I have been putting ACV in my water bottles and mold starts to grow. I change the water bottles daily and by the next day, there is mold spots on the inside of the bottle. Also, I have a 5 gal Automatic watering system and mold grew in there also.  I stopped using the ACV and no more mold...    I want to use it, but dont want to make my rabbits sick and i dont want to keep cleaning mold! Does anyone else have this problem? I am using a small amount, like recomended above....


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## karl e. lutz the great (Jun 8, 2011)

I just passed a kidney stone and a friend told me to use this stuff for my stones ! ever heard of that?


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## VStillman (Jun 8, 2011)

no...sorry, but maybe some search online might help you...i know it is sometimes hard to find the right search term, so dont give up....good luck!!!!!


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## rabbitlady4433 (Jun 8, 2011)

Yes, it does help with stones!  I don't know how, but comming from someone that used to pass stones regularly to only once a year it works.  I put a splash in a water glass at night.


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## rockdoveranch (Jun 8, 2011)

VStillman said:
			
		

> I have been putting ACV in my water bottles and mold starts to grow. I change the water bottles daily and by the next day, there is mold spots on the inside of the bottle. Also, I have a 5 gal Automatic watering system and mold grew in there also.  I stopped using the ACV and no more mold...    I want to use it, but dont want to make my rabbits sick and i dont want to keep cleaning mold! Does anyone else have this problem? I am using a small amount, like recomended above....


Try plain ole Distilled Vinegar.  It works like a charm and is much cheaper.


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## Genipher (Oct 9, 2011)

Reading this thread has covinced me to put some ACV in my doe's water.  Still need to get the buck a new water bottle and then I'll do him too.  Didn't realize ACV was such a good preventative for illnesses, etc. Thanks to everyone for the info!


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## Hickoryneck (Oct 10, 2011)

I mix it in my goats feed it prevents the buck from getting stones and helps the does with kidding so I will have to try it on my rabbits


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## bluemini (Oct 10, 2011)

rockdoveranch said:
			
		

> At the moment I am too lazy to look up vinegar benefits, but I put about 1 teaspoon to 1 1/2 teaspoons of distilled vinegar in my rabbit's 32 ounce bottles.  I don't actually measure.  Most people recommend apple cider vinegar, but distilled is cheaper and has worked for me.
> 
> It keeps the bottles clean and sanitized, will clear up weepy eyes and keep them healthy. It is also good for promoting healthy skin.
> 
> ...


my dog has skin problems also,how much do I put in a dogs water ?


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## oneacrefarm (Oct 13, 2011)

I add 1Tblsp of ACV to 1Gal of water. I don't really measure, just splash some in. I have a 2Gal Water Pitcher and I add two splashes to that and then fill it up. I have noticed the extra mold growth myself with the ACV I bought...I wonder if it has to do with it not being the unpasteurized kind?

Shannon


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## Beekissed (Oct 13, 2011)

If you are using distilled or even pastuerized ACV, there shouldn't be any mold spores in it, so it may be that you have mold spores already in your water bottles and the sugar/acidic addition of the ACV just increases growth.  Used ACV in my rabbits bottles for years and never had mold formation from it.  

I'd try letting some bleach water stand in those bottles for a little while, rinsing well and then seeing how it goes when you use vinegar.


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## oneacrefarm (Oct 14, 2011)

Beekissed said:
			
		

> If you are using distilled or even pastuerized ACV, there shouldn't be any mold spores in it, so it may be that you have mold spores already in your water bottles and the sugar/acidic addition of the ACV just increases growth.  Used ACV in my rabbits bottles for years and never had mold formation from it.
> 
> I'd try letting some bleach water stand in those bottles for a little while, rinsing well and then seeing how it goes when you use vinegar.


Yeah, I did that with a couple last week. I need to check those to see if they grew anything back. We are on well water, so I don't know if that has anything to do with it...


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