FlockShield®: How Prebiotics, Probiotics, and Postbiotics Support Chicken Gut Health
Whether you’re raising backyard chickens for eggs, meat birds for production, or a mixed flock, gut health plays a role in overall bird wellness. A healthy digestive system helps chickens make better use of the nutrients in their feed and supports everyday health.
That’s where FlockShield® comes in.
FlockShield combines prebiotics, probiotics, and postbiotics to help support digestive health and overall flock wellness. This three-part approach works together to support a balanced gut environment, helping birds thrive through every stage of life.
Table of contents
Key Takeaways
- FlockShield is a unique blend of prebiotics, probiotics, and postbiotics that promotes digestive health in chickens.
- Prebiotics nourish good bacteria, probiotics introduce beneficial microorganisms, and postbiotics provide useful compounds for chicken gut health.
- Digestive health is crucial for all birds, including chicks, layer hens, meat birds, turkeys, ducks, and geese.
- A healthy digestive system allows chickens to utilize nutrients effectively, supporting their overall wellness.
- NatureWise poultry feeds incorporate FlockShield to enhance chicken gut health and maintain flock productivity.
What is FlockShield®?
FlockShield is a Nutrena® exclusive benefit that is found in all bags of NatureWise® poultry feed. It combines prebiotics, probiotics, and postbiotics into one integrated approach.
Each component serves a unique purpose:
- Prebiotics nourish beneficial bacteria already present in the gut
- Probiotics introduce beneficial microorganisms that help maintain microbial balance
- Postbiotics provide beneficial metabolites and compounds that support digestive function and overall health
Why is Gut Health Important for Chickens?
A chicken’s digestive system does much more than process feed.
The gut is responsible for:
- Breaking down and utilizing nutrients
- Supporting normal digestive function
- Maintaining microbial balance
- Supporting everyday health and wellness
When gut health is functioning properly, birds are better positioned to utilize the nutrients supplied through a quality poultry feed program.
What Are Prebiotics?
Prebiotics are specialized ingredients that serve as food for beneficial bacteria living in the digestive tract.
Think of prebiotics as fertilizer for the good microbes in your flock’s gut. By nourishing these helpful bacteria, prebiotics encourage a more balanced digestive environment.
Benefits of prebiotics may include:
- Supporting beneficial gut bacteria
- Promoting digestive balance
- Helping maintain a healthy gut environment
What Are Probiotics?
Probiotics for chickens are live beneficial microorganisms that help maintain a healthy microbial population in the digestive tract.
These helpful microbes work alongside existing gut bacteria to support digestive health and balance.
Probiotics are commonly included in poultry nutrition programs because of their ability to support:
- Microbial balance
- Digestive health
- Overall flock wellness
What Are Postbiotics?
Postbiotics are beneficial compounds that are produced during the natural fermentation process of probiotics. Unlike probiotics, postbiotics are not live microorganisms. Instead, they are the useful metabolites and fermentation products that help support digestive function and overall health.
Think of postbiotics as the helpful byproducts that beneficial bacteria leave behind. These compounds can help support a healthy gut environment and contribute to overall flock wellness.
Benefits of postbiotics may include:
- Support digestive function
- Helping maintain a healthy gut environment
- Support overall health and wellness
How Do Prebiotics, Probiotics, and Postbiotics Work Together?
While each component offers unique benefits, the real strength of FlockShield comes from how all three work together.
| Component | Primary Role |
| Prebiotics | Feed beneficial bacteria |
| Probiotics | Add beneficial microorganisms |
| Postbiotics | Provide beneficial fermentation compounds |
You can think of the relationship this way:
- Prebiotics provide nourishment for beneficial gut microbes.
- Probiotics help populate the digestive tract with beneficial microorganisms.
- Postbiotics deliver beneficial compounds produced through fermentation.
Together, these three compounds help support digestive balance and create an environment where chickens can make better use of the nutrients in their feed.
This comprehensive approach is what makes FlockShield a unique part of NatureWise poultry feed.
Which Birds Can Benefit from Digestive Health Support?
A chicken’s digestive health is important at every stage of life.
Birds that may benefit from digestive health support include:
Chicks
Young birds are developing their digestive systems and establishing their gut microbiome. Supporting digestive health early can help create a strong nutritional foundation.
Layer Hens
Laying hens have ongoing nutritional demands to support egg production. A healthy digestive system helps birds utilize the nutrients provided in a quality layer feed.
Meat Birds
Efficient nutrient utilization is an important part of any meat bird nutrition program. Digestive health support can help maintain normal digestive function throughout growth.
Turkeys
Turkeys have unique nutritional needs throughout growth and development. Supporting digestive health can help maintain normal digestive function and support nutrient utilization, whether raising poults, breeding stock, or birds intended for meat.
Ducks and Geese
Ducks and geese benefit from a balanced digestive system to help utilize nutrients from complete feed. Whether they are part of a backyard flock, kept as pets, or raised alongside chickens, digestive health can support normal gut function and overall well-being.
Mixed and Backyard Flocks
Whether you keep a few backyard chickens or manage a larger flock, maintaining digestive balance is an important part of overall flock management.
Building a Strong Foundation for Flock Success
A healthy digestive system plays an important role in supporting your flock’s everyday wellness. When chickens can effectively utilize the nutrients in their feed, they are better positioned to thrive throughout every stage of life.
That’s why NatureWise poultry feeds include FlockShield, an exclusive combination of prebiotics, probiotics, and postbiotics designed to support digestive health and overall flock wellness.
Whether you’re raising chicks, layers, meat birds, or a mixed backyard flock, FlockShield helps provide nutritional support from the inside out, giving you one more reason to be sure you’re feeding your birds the nutrition they need for a healthy, productive life.
