Bicarbonate helps the health of humans and pigs. But also chickens. Through health and nutrient absorption balance. It seems usage of it makes animals stronger in many cases, without much risk from what I can tell, as it goes already in the animals own systems from breathing. Here is an example:
“Feed Grade Sodium Bicarbonate: Applications of Baking Soda in Livestock and Poultry Nutrition
Livestock sodium bicarbonate, or sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3), is a chemical compound with numerous applications in livestock and poultry nutrition. This substance is widely used in the feed industry and is recognized as a harmless material, also approved by the FDA.”
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”Buffering Capacity: Baking soda acts as a buffer, maintaining the pH balance in livestock and poultry within an optimal range. This is particularly important during heat stress, dietary changes, or illness.”
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”Heat Stress Mitigation: In hot weather, baking soda reduces heat production, alleviating heat stress in poultry and livestock, and improving performance.“
it has exciting properties against E. Coli and Lactobacillus bacteria too, here seen in humans:
“Bacterial counts of Lactobacilli and E. coli organisms showed a significant reversal when sodium bicarbonate was added to the feed”
https://journals.co.za/doi/epdf/10.10520/AJA20785135_12086
And has been used traditionally for medical, cooking, baking and other uses.