Peafowl Nutrition 101

[DylansMom]

Too much calcium for either can cause problems, but so can too little phosphorus and there's something about the calcium to phosphorus ratio that's important, too.

Disclaimer: I'm no expert, just reciting little bits I have read here and there and it was about turkeys and chickens, not peafowl.

-Kathy

While researching twisted tibia last summer, I read that the incidence of this condition can be lowered in broiler chickens by increasing the calcium to phosphorus ratio. Perhaps that is what you saw Kathy.

 

[casportpony]

A breeder told me not to give calcium to peahens they have hard shelled eggs and chicks will have a harder time breaking out. I keep a pan of oyster shell in the pens at all times but seldom see them getting any. If I throw it on the ground they will eat it. I figure if they need it they'll get it from the pan which is near their feed. Importance is feeding a GOOD feed. I know of nothing more trusting then Purina which has Calcium. I'm looking at a ingrediants tag now. Also has Monocalcium Phosphate and Dicalcium Phosphate.

Kathy, I'm no expert either but do have very healthy beautiful peafowl. I also give them the Farmer's Helper UltraKibble and lots of other healthy food, fruits and veggies. Girl, you need to get a pair of peafowl. You'll love having them. (-:

Lol, I have 40 peafowl! Like you, I put oyster shell in a separate pan and they don't seem to eat it, but they do love their alfalfa!

-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

Quote: What I remember reading was that turkeys and chickens have different calcium to phosphorus ratios and too much calcium or too phosphorus can cause gout. Don't remember anything about twisted tibia, but funny you should mention that 'cause the feedstore tried to give a little rooster with what looks like a twisted tibia.

-Kathy

 

[Yoda]

I found an article on UPA:
Calcium Content

The calcium content in the commercial diets was too high. As Dr. Sheppards article concurred, these birds,
including the hens only require a 1% calcium level in their diet for a successfully laying season. Anything
over that percentage can only be harmful to the birds because it can not be eliminated successfully from
their digestive system. Instead the calcium concentrates in the birds kidneys and slowly kills the bird. The
silent killer can take three to six years to be lethal. One of the signs of this kidney problem is: fine one day,
dead the next. The 2 to 3.5% calcium content in todays commercial breeder feeds are designed for an active
hen laying between 60 to 100 eggs per season. This percentage is especially too high for males who are
often forgotten when a breeder feed is selected. A bird that lays 18-30 eggs per season requires a 1.5 %
calcium diet. A bird that lays 2-10 eggs per season requires less than 1% calcium diet to be successful.

There are many types of calcium available. The two most common sources of calcium in diets are Calcium
Carbonate and oyster shells. Calcium Carbonate is used in many production feeds and is 100% absorbed
by the birds digestive system. This is why very little is needed in feed to be effective. Too much can kill
birds very quickly. In oyster shells, the bird only absorbs 5% to 10% of the available calcium and in reality,
oyster shells are used more for a grit than for the calcium content. Also, if oyster shell is mixed with the
feed, it lowers the overall protein level of the feed considerably. In summary, ask you feed distributor about
what type of calcium is used, the amount used and if it effects the protein level of your feed.

I think I should read my label on my feedbag LOL

 

[Yoda]

The Dumor layer pellets does say it has Calcium Carbonate in it. Kathy your feed does not have it.

 

[casportpony]

The Dumor layer pellets does say it has Calcium Carbonate in it. Kathy your feed does not have it.

It's on the label (it's in the pellets).

-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

They also get this:

GUARANTEED ANALYSIS:
Crude Protein Min 22.00 %
Lysine Min 1.39 %
Methionine Min 0.40 %
Crude Fat Min 9.60 %
Crude Fiber Max 2.75 %
Ash Max 7.50 %
Calcium Min 1.30 %
Calcium Max 1.70 %
Phosphorus Min 0.66 %
Salt Min 0.10 %
Salt Max 0.50 %
INGREDIENTS:
Corn, Soybean Meal, Vegetable Oil & Animal Fat Blend,
Wheat Millrun, Calcium Carbonate, Dicalcium Phosphate,
Vegetable Oil & Animal Fat Blend, Salt, L-Lysine, Choline
Chloride, DL-Methionine, Propionic acid, Ferrous Sulfate
Manganous Oxide, Zinc Oxide, Vitamin E Acetate, Niacin
Supplement, Copper Sulfate, D-Cal Pantothenate, Vitamin
A Acetate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement,
Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex, Ethylenediamine
Dihydroiodide, Biotin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Sodium
Selenite, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin B12 Supplement,
Folic Acid

Or this:
GUARANTEED ANALYSIS:
Crude Protein Not Less Than 26.50%
Lysine ........... Not Less Than ..1.60%
Methionine .... Not Less Than ..0.52%
Crude Fat ..... Not Less Than ..6.65%
Crude Fiber . Not More Than ..2.99%
Ash.............. Not More Than ..9.08%
Calcium ........ Not Less Than ..1.60%
Calcium ....... Not More Than ..2.00%
Phosphorus ... Not Less Than ..0.91%
Salt . ...............Not Less Than . 0.08%
Salt..................Not More Than..0.58%
INGREDIENTS:
Soybean Meal, Corn, Distillers dried grains, Vegetable Oil & Animal
Fat Blend, Calcium Carbonate, Dicalcium Phosphate, Wheat Millrun,
Salt, L-Lysine, DL-Methionine, Choline Chloride, Ferrous Sulfate,
Manganous Oxide, Zinc Oxide, Vitamin E Acetate, Niacin Supplement,
Copper Sulfate, D-Cal Pantothenate, Vitamin A Acetate, Vitamin D3
Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite
Complex, Ethylenediamine Dihydroiodide, Biotin, Pyridoxine
Hydrochloride, Sodium Selenite, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin B12
Supplement, Folic Acid

-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

I should also say that I've tried feeding them other stuff, but what they get now is what they'll actually eat. Somedays they like the crumble, other days they like the TMC. no science behind my feeding program, just kept trying new stuff until they would eat it. FWIW, they *hate* Purina products!

-Kathy

 

[Yoda]

FWIW, they *hate* Purina products!
-Kathy

so do I LOL

 

[Yoda]

This one only has 0.8% calcium
http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/store/purinareg;-flock-raiserreg;-sunfreshreg;-recipe-crumble-50-lb
But it is your FAVORITE brand LMAO!