Poultry

Supplements and health products for backyard chickens, ducks and other poultry. Most of what is here is a liquid concentrate that goes into the drinking water, which is the practical way to dose a flock — you are not going to catch every bird individually.

Choosing what you need — a vitamin and amino acid tonic covers general condition, feather quality and laying performance, and is the one to reach for after a stressful week (a heat run, a move, a moult). A mineral and electrolyte supplement is aimed at bone and eggshell formation, and is worth stepping up in hot weather when birds drink more and lose more. They do different jobs, so running both is normal rather than doubling up.

These are supplements, not medicines. They sit alongside a complete layer feed and clean water — they do not replace either, and they will not treat an actual illness. If a bird is sick, that is a vet or a registered veterinary product, not a tonic.

Mixed solution goes off, so make up only what the flock will drink in a day and tip out the rest.

• Animal Wellbeing
• Health Care