Calcium breakfast. Help emergency see page 2

[digitS']

LoneCowboy, this is certainly a good time of the year to be thinking about "the sunshine vitamin." I live in one of the most Winter sun-deficient places in the US - - just too far north and too many overcast days. (About 300 miles east of Silkiechicken's hometown

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If the body can store Vitamin D, there shouldn't be too much of a problem. The Summer sun will burn me to a crisp by the end of August. (Probably much more at risk of skin cancer

.

Silkiechicken must be right about veggies not having much in the way of Vit D. This vitamin along with B12 is one of the problems with having a vegan diet, I've read.

Despite the guv talking about margarine & vegetable oils - none on my shelves show any Vit D. The only thing I came up with is the soy milk in the fridge - 30% of the recommended Daily Value. So I guess it must have about 100 IU to the cup!

Heck, that's as much as is in 5 egg yolks

!!

Steve

 

[silkiechicken]

I wiki-ed vitD and got this

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitamin_D

Natural sources of vitamin D include:[1]

* Fish liver oils, such as cod liver oil, 1 Tbs. (15 mL) provides 1,360 IU
* Fatty fish species, such as:
o Catfish, 3 oz provides 425 IU
o Salmon, cooked, 3.5 oz provides 360 IU
o Mackerel, cooked, 3.5 oz, 345 IU
o Sardines, canned in oil, drained, 1.75 oz, 250 IU
o Tuna, canned in oil, 3 oz, 200 IU
o Eel, cooked, 3.5 oz, 200 IU
* Mushrooms provide over 2700 IU per serving (approx. 3 oz or 1/2 cup) of vitamin D2, if exposed to just 5 minutes of UV light after being harvested;[13] this is one of a few natural sources of vitamin D for vegans.
* One whole egg, 20 IU

Sounds like fish and eggs are winners.

Oh... an eel is SOOOOO good!!!! *drools*​

 

[LoneCowboy]

I read in the treat chart that fish makes the eggs taste funny. Is that true? I have a ton of tuna stored up.

 

[Dana]

Quote:
I've given my chickens feed with fish meal in it, and I didn't notice any difference in the taste of the eggs. However, I thought canned tuna had too much salt added?

 

[digitS']

Well, my Chicken of the Sea Tuna in water has 250 mg of sodium. That's a pretty high dose of salt in 6 ounces of fish.

My Low Sodium Light Tuna in spring water has 90 mg of sodium. Maybe too much if only a couple hens got it.

I didn't know how much lower one could go with ocean fish so checked Nutritiondata for fresh tuna. Six ounces would have 66 mg.

Since it's dried, I wonder what fish meal has in the way of sodium . . .

Here's a question - if they ate chicken of the sea, wouldn't that be . . . cannibalism?

Steve

 

[chickenlady]

I buy the mackerel in a can in the tuna aisle. I give it to my girls once a week and they absolutely love it.

 

[dlhunicorn]

I would give the advised amount of aviacharge... give it in a 1/3 cup of cooked-in-water oatmeal and mix that through their feed (your feed will clump together and this helps prevent wastage too!)
If you feel D# is a problem you can go to the pet store and get an appropriate (bird formula) supplement there and add the recomended amount to their waterer.

 

[Churkenduse]

If you want a good source of Vit D, try cod liver oil. I take the lemon flavored one and found that if you feed it to you hens during the winter (not summer they get enough sun) it helps in the formation of their eggs. Just one tsp for a few girls 1-2 times a week would be enough. Remember they are smaller than us.

 

[LoneCowboy]

Quote:
I think I did a bad thing. I mixed up some oatmeal with about 1 tea of avia charge and I fed it to them. I missed the part about mixing it with their feed. They are acting funny. Did I poison my chickens?????

 

[CovenantCreek]

I couldn't find anything anywhere to provide an answer, I'm sure you looked online as well. The only help I can give you is bump this back to the top. I do hope your girls will be all right.