Calcium- How do you give it to your birds?

[Jane]

I was reading an article tonight that said cuttle bone type calcium was not absorbed and just 'passed through' so I was wondering how everyone supplied calcium to their birds

[vankarhi]

well I gave my birds cuttlefish bone........but maybe it wasn't working anyway???

I also give mine cooked boiled eggs in the shell, cut up in their food and sometimes I add a powder to their food if I think they need it. Oh and every so often they get a cooked chicken leg and they get silver beet/spinach and almonds (I am sure almonds have calcium......hang on I think it is iron.......sorry)

[rainbowfeathers77]

Well I dunno...I try to cover all bases....they have a cuttle bone in there, a mineral stone (not sure if that has calcium in it), veggies everyday - all different types, I mix cooked egg in their bean mix and sometimes I give them birdie cake....which has calcium powder in it aswell as whole eggs inc the shell mixed in. I also sometimes give them liquid calcuim supplement in their water.

[rainbowfeathers77]

PS..I don't give them the above, all at once...I alternate etc.

[vankarhi]

Yes I wanted to add that too Kat that my birds get this food over a period of week, depending on what is in season etc. But I also wanted to add that I also give mine yogurt from time to time. We eat the natural greek yogurt......so they get some of that on top of their fruit and vege mix and they get brocolli from time to time also and I am sure that is high in calcium too.

I am sure I will be corrected if I am wrong ;D

[summit]

When I soak seed I add liquid calcium so the seed absorbs it and give it to the birds that way.

Lorikeets are the easiest as all you have to do is add a little liquid calcium to the wet mix.

As I use large water bowls for their water adding calcium to this becomes wastefull considering it is changed atleast once a day to keep it fresh. This is especially important in those flights where they are notorious bathers.

I also have cuttle bone in each flight at all times and have noticed they tend to eat more of it right before going down to nest.

Even if they don't absorb the cuttle bone it sure helps sharpen those beaks, gawd forbid we go without a good bite for long LOL.

[Karen]

I add calciyum to their drinking water and make sure they get a good dose of sunlight.
Plus of course their fruit and veggies.
Give cuttlebone when I can find it - and when they don't pull it off and throw it on the ground and use it as a toilet before I can rescue it.

[mybirdz]

I've heard the same thing at one stage but when I tried to research this I couldn't find anything at all, so I don't know if it's just one of those rumors or not....

I still offer cuttle bone, I don't see why birds shouldn't have it. It is a very high source of calcium.

You can also offer cooked egg with shell crushed for extra calcium.

I'm not a big fan of supplements. There really isn't any need to add sups to birds water unless the birds vet specifies. How do you know you're not over supplementing them? Some parrot species do get health issues from over supplementing their diets.

you can get lots of calcium through greens like kale, collards, bok choy, other dark green leafy veggies.

[avinet]

Giving cuttlebone, mineral (calcium) bells, egg shells, or powder are all inefficient ways of providing calcium to a bird with much of it going straight through and out the other end, but having said that it is still the preferred way in most cases. That is because it makes up in bulk what it lacks in efficiency, and it allows the bird to absorb what it needs with little or no risk of overdosing. Calcium given in this way is in an inorganic mineral form, and the bird's metabolism, through vit D3, is able to absorb through the gut wall only what it needs, with the rest going to waste.

Similarly there is no risk of a bird overdosing through calcium in vegetables. The actual concentration of calcium in most vegies is actually very low. Kale for instance ha sone of the highest calcium levels but if a bird eats 10 grams of kale it only gets around 12 mg of calcium (1000 mg = 1 gram). So, while organicly bound calcium is better absorbed, the amount the bird gets is still low and overdosing isn't likely, and over weeks and months leading up to the breeding season the hen has opportunity to store plenty of calcium in her bones for later use for egg shells.

Calcium supplements in the water, such as Calcivet, made by Vetafarm, mostly contain calcium as Calcium Gluconate or similar compounds. Some may also contain vit D3, and maybe a magnesium compound. These need to be used with caution since the calcium in these products is much more easily absorbed and if given to excess there is a danger of the bird having too much calcium leading to kidney stones, calcification of the kidneys, and PROBLEMS. They definately have a place - an occasional dose leading up to breeding season may be advantagious - and I do give my birds a dose once or twice a week at this time of year, but they shouldn't be used constantly in my opinion. In outside birds, which get sunshine and hence form their own D3 then a supplement without D3 is fine to use and perhaps preferable, since D3 toxicity has been reported. Essentially inside birds that don't get sunlight, should have a supplement with D3 added. In fact it is these inside birds, that are set up for breeding, that benefit most from a calcium supplement such as Calcivet, which is the one I use.

cheers,

Mike

[rainbowfeathers77]

Oh Mike!

What would we ever do without you and your expertise, on here...I for one, would be struggling and probably grieving for my dead birds - your tremendous amount of knowledge has helped me and I think everyone else on here, soooo much!

Just wanted to mention this, I think you also deserve some kind of special award!

Thanks Mike! Big cheers for you ;D

[vankarhi]

Well once again I have learned something.........starting to feel a bit dumb sometimes. ;D

Nah ......... if we stop learning ............ that would be a sad time wouldn't it.

[Jane]

Everyone for sharing here ;D I really appreciate it. Yeah I think we can never stop learning
I am about to cook mine a 'cake' receipe I found in www.birdkeeper.com.au/v2/aguideto6.html I will report if they like it or not
This receipe has calcium carbonate powder in it so I guess it fits into the 'not so great' absorbsion catergory but as mine also are outside, getting fresh vegies etc and some pellets and still have cuttlefish in their avairies I hope they'll take what the need I think I'll get some Calcivet next week, probably won't use it very much but might give it once or twice as I am just getting nest boxes organised now for my Princesses, Superbs, Crimson Wings and Neophemas

[rainbowfeathers77]

Hey Mike. Can dolomite be used instead of Calcium Carbonate?? Dolomite is a calcium and magnesium powder?

Cheers
Kat

[rainbowfeathers77]

Hi Jane...I couldn't find the recipe via your link but I just wanted to add, that the guy who sold me my ringnecks, has a web site which has some birdie cake recipes (BUT unfortunatelly, I lost the link when my PC died and now I can't find it ) ....I made up my own with a bit from each recipe, basically what I had in the house inc. baby rice cereal, oats, honey, peanut butter, bugie seeds, 'bigger' seeds, whole eggs, calcium powder, wheat germ, self-raisnig wholemeal flour........etc ....all my birds got into it straight away and loved it, I was amazed at the quick acceptance.

He also mentioned in his recipes....dried milk powder, soya flour, crushed mixed nuts,, soya bean meal. I haven't got these at home.

The ingredients above come from two recipes...you don't have to throw everything in, to make one

I'm sorry that I can't help you more re the recipes...but I thought atleast maybe the ingredients list may come in use or af some help?

Here's the link to his recipes page

[Jane]

Hey Kat I meant that the receipe was in that book sorry. But its seems to be along the same lines as the ones you mentioned. It smells good enough to eat myself

re Calcium Carbonate versus Dolomite: I don't know the requirements of birds for magnesium but I know calcium & magnesium levels are somewhat related. However depending on the brand of dolomite you are suggesting you may get other things you don't want. Flinders dolomite list aluminium oxide and silicon oxide amongst the ingredients. Mudgee dolomite doesn't seem to list those.
Omyacarb calcium carbonate is 97% calcium carbonate. The dolomite will be 63%.
Maybe that'll help

[avinet]

Dolomite is relatively insoluble compared to calcium carbonate, and so much of it would go straight through and be less useful than cuttlebone etc as a source of calcium. In addition there is usually not a problem with a magnesium deficiency in most bird diets. Finally an excess of magnesium in the diet can produce diarrhea, low egg production and thin shelled eggs, so I wouldn't recommend using dolomite.

cheers,

Mike

[Jane]

Thanks again Mike My knowledge of dolomite really only related to horses

[rainbowfeathers77]

Thanks soo much for that info.
The reason I asked is because I'm fairly low on calcium carbonate but have a huge bag of (mudgee) dolomite - which I use for my dog ( a tbl. spoon, mixed with his breakfast - the breeder told me to do that).
I was wondering if I could use that on the birds aswell...so as to use up the dolomite or should I get more calcium carbonate. (i'm meant to give my dog the dolomite up till he's 18 months - so I know I'll have heaps left over)

Cheers Mike and Jane for your help!!!

[Jane]

Kat if you go to a Produce/Stockfeed near you they should have Calcium Carbonate for less than $1 per kg.
You can always use the dolomite up on the lawn (just not the same time as you fertilize)

[rainbowfeathers77]

Thanks for the tip Jane...I will have to use it on the lawn, I reckon, coz my dog has dug up so many holes....... now theres bare pathes and holes everywhere...looks like a golf course ;D