6 uses of charcoal on a poultry farm

1. In the dust bath:

Charcoal or wood ash added to your chickens' dust bath helps to suffocate parasites such as mites, lice, fleas and ticks.

2. As a feed supplement:

It has been observed that animals in the wild will gnaw on charred branches and stumps after a forest fire.

Charcoal works as a laxative and detoxifier, flushing toxins out of the body. It will also help expel internal worms to some extent.

Calcium is the most abundant element in wood ash, but it's also a good source of potassium, phosphorus, and magnesium. Adding wood ash to your chicken feed in a 1% ratio can improve lay rates, extend laying periods and will also reduce the smell of the chicken droppings. Ashes obtained from hardwoods like cedar, oak and maple have five times as many nutrients as softwoods like pine and balsa.

3. As a wound healing agent:

Wood ash possesses antibacterial qualities which can prevent an open wound from becoming infected and also works to stop bleeding quickly, much like Cornstarch, when applied topically to a wound.

When ingested, the Vitamin K in the wood ash works to help blood clot and can reverse the effects of the Coumadin in rat poison, for instance.

4. To keep the coop clean:

Sprinkling wood ash on your coop floor can help reduce odours. Like baking soda, wood ash is alkaline and therefore will absorb and help neutralize bad smells. It will also help reduce the humidity levels in your coop.

5. To reduce the ammonia in your chickens' manure:

Adding charcoal in a ratio of 1 - 2% to your chicken feed can help prevent the creation of ammonia, leading to a more ammonia-free output from your chickens. Studies have found that it's effective in absorbing the ammonia and preventing fumes from forming.

6. To control impurities in the water:

Adding a chunk of charcoal to your waterer can help keep algae and other bacteria from forming and help absorb and filter out other impurities, while adding minerals to the water.

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