By Maryanne Musilo

Kiambu poultry farmer Wanjiku Ngugi has turned to a kitchen remedy that’s earning praise among her chicken flock: a homemade electrolyte solution of bicarbonate, salt, and sugar.

“Bicarbonate, salt and sugar treats diarrhea. At least for me it works,” she explains, recalling the ordeal that led her to the discovery.

Her flock first showed signs of distress with a greenish diarrhea that progressed to whiteness, then blood-stained stools, an ominous signal that prompted her to scour the internet for solutions.

“At first I thought it was just normal and the birds would be okay eventually. But when the diarrhea started having blood in it, I lost more than ten chickens and then I decided to research before going to the veterinary,” Wanjiku recounts.

Her online search led to a YouTube video detailing a DIY electrolyte remedy. Following its advice, she mixed eight teaspoons of sugar, half a teaspoon of sea salt, and a half teaspoon of bicarbonate in eight liters of water, echoing recommendations found in organic farming guides, which advise around eight teaspoons of sugar, half teaspoon salt, and half teaspoon baking soda per gallon of water for sick birds.

She dosed her chickens with the concoction, citing it as an affordable and organic-first strategy.

“I opted for this method since it is cheaper. I also try a lot to farm organically,” she says.

Wanjiku doesn’t stop there. She sprays salted water in chicken coops to repel lice and introduces papaya leaf juice to treat coccidiosis.

“Papaya leaves also works magic, once blended with water, you give it to the chickens for them to drink. It treats coccidiosis,” she notes.

For Newcastle disease, her remedy includes aloe vera, ash, and pepper, while a homemade antibiotic brew of ginger, pepper, garlic, and spring onion rounds out her natural toolkit.

This grassroots effort isn’t unprecedented. Many small poultry keepers use similar broths of sugar, salt, and bicarbonate to rehydrate and restore electrolyte balance to sick birds, mirroring organic treatment advice seen online . Plant-based supplements like papaya leaves, aloe vera, garlic, and ginger are also commonly cited in poultry health guides as immune boosters and natural treatments .

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Wanjiku’s practices highlight a growing trend of farmers turning to accessible, affordable home remedies before seeking veterinary care. She’s quick to caution, however: “Using organic ways to treat and boost poultry immunity saves farmers cash a lot more than going to the veterinary, but if the symptoms persist, one should consult a veterinary.”

Her innovation of resourceful farming and responsible disease management, gives her flock a fighting chance and a lesson for fellow farmers exploring sustainable methods.