Processing Day Support Group ~ HELP us through the Emotions PLEASE!

[Beekissed]

So fart the New Heritage Delawares from kathyinmo are mostly friendly. capayvalleychick said a couple of her hens peck at her feet.

It is possible that Kathy selected for temperament.

I would say she did and I think everyone should.

 

[katbriar]

I even use layer rations so they get more calcium for their quickly growing bones.

Beekissed- how soon do you start layer rations? Thinking about all the "calcium can damage a chick's kidneys" warnings I've seen around here.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Beekissed- how soon do you start layer rations? Thinking about all the "calcium can damage a chick's kidneys" warnings I've seen around here.

Good question, I'd like to know too.

 

[Beekissed]

I even use layer rations so they get more calcium for their quickly growing bones.

Beekissed- how soon do you start layer rations? Thinking about all the "calcium can damage a chick's kidneys" warnings I've seen around here.

I've fed it to new chicks. Actually, the tail end of the first flock I fed layer to chicks in is still living with me...at 6 yrs of age...and none of them died from illness or renal difficulties(translate~I ate them). The two I have are still laying and they all lived long and healthy lives.

The last batch of meaties got it after the first week or so, mixed in with whole grains.

I've got a little notion to hand to you about calcium for chicks and roosters.....most of the grasses and legumes my birds forage out on range have a calcium level on average of 10.1 %..and is way more easily digested than that found in cereal grains, so my chickens are feeding primarily on very high calcium rations and only being supplemented with the relatively low calcium percentages found in layer feed.

Not to mention how much calcium is in the shells of bugs!

Those studies done on layer chicks under controlled and confined settings do not apply to my active backyard flock of DP breeds, hardy and healthy out on the green grass.

Calcium is not a static mineral that stays in the blood at all times, is dished out to the shell gland when needed and then excretes through the kidneys. Calcium is stored in the bone when muscles pull against the bones..(weight bearing exercise)..and is pulled out of the blood stream for this purpose. The more exercise one does, the more that calcium is stored in the bone matrix, creating strong bones...and NOT excreted as excess through the renal system.

Ever wonder why you don't see too many hunch backed heavy set older ladies? They aren't as osteoporotic as petite, slender old ladies because their weight pulling against their bones causes more calcium to be stored there, whereas the tiny, slender little old ladies don't have as much of that pull and so their bones look like Swiss cheese..hence the easily bent spine, the easily broken hips, etc.

This is also why astronauts lose bone mass when they spend time in space..the lack of gravitational pull against their bodies and bones causes loss to the bone matrix.

Children need more calcium because their bones are growing..it is no mistake that their first year includes a milk diet. Crazy how they don't have renal problems with all that calcium, isn't it? They don't..it's being used to make strong bones. Same with our chicks and their grass and bug diet, the exercise they do to find their food, etc.

Roosters are the most active bird in the whole flock and grows more muscle and stronger bones than any of them, so he needs the calcium also.

It's all in what you know about basic anatomy and physiology whether you understand how calcium is used in the body, where it goes, how it's stored, and how often it's excreted.

Let's just put it this way...I'm not worried.

 

[ronott1]

I've fed it to new chicks. Actually, the tail end of the first flock I fed layer to chicks in is still living with me...at 6 yrs of age...and none of them died from illness or renal difficulties(translate~I ate them). The two I have are still laying and they all lived long and healthy lives.

The last batch of meaties got it after the first week or so, mixed in with whole grains.

I've got a little notion to hand to you about calcium for chicks and roosters.....most of the grasses and legumes my birds forage out on range have a calcium level on average of 10.1 %..and is way more easily digested than that found in cereal grains, so my chickens are feeding primarily on very high calcium rations and only being supplemented with the relatively low calcium percentages found in layer feed.

Not to mention how much calcium is in the shells of bugs!

Those studies done on layer chicks under controlled and confined settings do not apply to my active backyard flock of DP breeds, hardy and healthy out on the green grass.

Calcium is not a static mineral that stays in the blood at all times, is dished out to the shell gland when needed and then excretes through the kidneys. Calcium is stored in the bone when muscles pull against the bones..(weight bearing exercise)..and is pulled out of the blood stream for this purpose. The more exercise one does, the more that calcium is stored in the bone matrix, creating strong bones...and NOT excreted as excess through the renal system.

Ever wonder why you don't see too many hunch backed heavy set older ladies? They aren't as osteoporotic as petite, slender old ladies because their weight pulling against their bones causes more calcium to be stored there, whereas the tiny, slender little old ladies don't have as much of that pull and so their bones look like Swiss cheese..hence the easily bent spine, the easily broken hips, etc.

This is also why astronauts lose bone mass when they spend time in space..the lack of gravitational pull against their bodies and bones causes loss to the bone matrix.

Children need more calcium because their bones are growing..it is no mistake that their first year includes a milk diet. Crazy how they don't have renal problems with all that calcium, isn't it? They don't..it's being used to make strong bones. Same with our chicks and their grass and bug diet, the exercise they do to find their food, etc.

Roosters are the most active bird in the whole flock and grows more muscle and stronger bones than any of them, so he needs the calcium also.

It's all in what you know about basic anatomy and physiology whether you understand how calcium is used in the body, where it goes, how it's stored, and how often it's excreted.

Let's just put it this way...I'm not worried.

I am sure calcium in layer would not hurt the Meaties. They will not be around long enough for kidney damage to kill them.

It is a knowen poultry science fact, proven with studies and necropsies that long term exposure to too much calcium will cause early death in some Roosters. The best way is to let the flock figure out how much calcium is needed by giving it to them free choice. If you do not keep rooster more the two years it really would not matter.

Flock raise and grower feed has calcium in it.

 

[Arielle]

Quote:
I divided 14 into 4 x 12 coop and run--- they used the run occassionally, and as they got older and bigge r jsut sat in the coop. A discusting mess. THey did better when I moved them to a 12 x 10 horse stall were the environement was the same all over . . .

THe mess from 14 was horrendous, worse than a horse. I can't imagine 25 . . . but I do think about it. Pelleted horse bedding is expensive . . . . looking for a bettter priced bedding . . .

 

[katbriar]

I've fed it to new chicks.  Actually, the tail end of the first flock I fed layer to chicks in is still living with me...at 6 yrs of age...and none of them died from illness or renal difficulties(translate~I ate them).  The two I have are still laying and they all lived long and healthy lives. 

The last batch of meaties got it after the first week or so, mixed in with whole grains. 

I've got a little notion to hand to you about calcium for chicks and roosters.....most of the grasses and legumes my birds forage out on range have a calcium level on average of 10.1 %..and is way more easily digested than that found in cereal grains, so my chickens are feeding primarily on very high calcium rations and only being supplemented with the relatively low calcium percentages found in layer feed.

Not to mention how much calcium is in the shells of bugs! 

Those studies done on layer chicks under controlled and confined settings do not apply to my active backyard flock of DP breeds, hardy and healthy out on the green grass. 

Calcium is not a static mineral that stays in the blood at all times, is dished out to the shell gland when needed and then excretes through the kidneys.  Calcium is stored in the bone when muscles pull against the bones..(weight bearing exercise)..and is pulled out of the blood stream for this purpose.  The more exercise one does, the more that calcium is stored in the bone matrix, creating strong bones...and NOT excreted as excess through the renal system. 

Ever wonder why you don't see too many hunch backed heavy set older ladies?  They aren't as osteoporotic as petite, slender old ladies because their weight pulling against their bones causes more calcium to be stored there, whereas the tiny, slender little old ladies don't have as much of that pull and so their bones look like Swiss cheese..hence the easily bent spine, the easily broken hips, etc.

This is also why astronauts lose bone mass when they spend time in space..the lack of gravitational pull against their bodies and bones causes loss to the bone matrix. 

Children need more calcium because their bones are growing..it is no mistake that their first year includes a milk diet.  Crazy how they don't have renal problems with all that calcium, isn't it?  They don't..it's being used to make strong bones.  Same with our chicks and their grass and bug diet, the exercise they do to find their food, etc.

Roosters are the most active bird in the whole flock and grows more muscle and stronger bones than any of them, so he needs the calcium also.  

It's all in what you know about basic anatomy and physiology whether you understand how calcium is used in the body, where it goes, how it's stored, and how often it's excreted.  

Let's just put it this way...I'm not worried.    

Perfect. This is why I ask thoughtful people who have actually tried something, observed it, and thought about the results with their own brains!

Thanks also ronott1. I don't know how to quote both posts but yours makes great sense too.

 

[Arielle]

Quote:

No endorsement of wyandottes . . . ??

 

[Beekissed]

Not a fan. Consistently the highest rating in kills, for the reason of temperament and poor lay, in my flocks.

 

[Didymus]

Can't do it, will most likely never do it. I have nightmares about movies i saw when i was 13. I would have to have someone else cull, and then i couldn't eat it. Big Baby Me!