How to keep low lead content in the feed??

[cgtara3]

A question that is burning for me, and I am hoping somebody else has inquired about this as well. For our next flock, we want the lowest lead possible in our eggs. We found the soil and water were very low, and we have no paint chips. We had our eggs checked, and they had a high lead content. So it must have been the feed. How could one make their own feed, and ensure that it has a low lead content for the calcium part?

 

[WoodlandWoman]

It would be interesting to contact the major feed suppliers for your area and ask them what the current lead levels are in their feeds. I wonder if there's a difference between them? That would be a quick place to start, while you think about what you want to do for feed.

You could feed crushed shells back to the chickens. Is there lead in the shells right now, too? Or just in the contents? The yolk usually has the most, right? I don't know what the levels are in the bags of oyster shells you buy. I think some areas have more polluted water than others. You could try contacting the oyster shell people, too. Some people also feed a different calcium supplement that I think is little chunks, but I just can't remember what it's called. Somebody help me out, please!

 

[cgtara3]

Yes, we will have to contact various feed companies. This is.a topic that is often over-looked. Just as an FYI, most oyster shell has a lot of lead in it, as we found that Purina Sunfresh is high in lead. They think they are not, but they are higher than they should be.