TOO MUCH CALCIUM?!

[silverlining]

oh dear...

they are 2 weeks old (assuming the feed store got them within three days of their hatching) and they are Brahmas.

they are on Purina chick feed (the crumbles). I wanted to start giving them little treats to make them friendlier though, and had heard that if they eat anything other than their chick starter that grit should be added to their diet to help with treats that aren't specially formulated to be digestable...

treats are important because these chicks are just going to be egg laying pets, and we want them to be friendly! I gave them a little scrambled egg last night and they didn't love it, but ate some from my hand and it didn't cause any pasty butt or anything...however I had sprinkled a little grit (not the calicum enhanced one, but the one that had a calcium ingredient in it) on their food. They seem happy and healthy as ever...? Am I doing anything super wrong? It's mainly the calcium level thing that worries me because I'm afraid if it does something to them it will be more insidious internally, and I won't know it's hurting them until it's too late

 

[Sugar Sand Farm]

I give my chicks sand all the time I use it in their brooder instead of shavings and they scratch and peck at it. I have not lost one chick to sand. I also do not have pasty butt either. But I do not give young chicks treats. I usually wait until they are 5-6 weeks old. If you want them friendly hold them and put some crumble on your hand they will peck at it just as well.

The sand I use is on the ground not store bought or crushed granite. I live in Florida the name of our farm is Sugar Sand Farm. When DH's banties hatch out their eggs the mothers are always scratching the sand and calling the chicks over I figure they know moe than I do.lol

 

[Dr.Doorlock]

I never imagined a pronlem from too much calcium. I have been putting a handful on marine coral into each two lbs of food and 7 of 8 of my girls have yet to lay their first egg. The older hen who lays about every other day is now laying eggs with better shells.

Since I have added some bird grain and sunflower seeds, I have not given them extra grit because the coral seems to do the job. I guess I should add some gravel and keep watching this thread.

 

[threehorses]

Quote:
This is a very late reply, but there are some studies done by Israeli scientists showing that calcium levels in excess of 1.5% in faster growing chicks can result in hypercalcemia.

It's late information, but I did want the right information to be out there.

Additionally, because calcium is so closely tied with vitamin D and phosphorus, if you provide too much calcium, your bird has to have extra phosphorus and vitamin D to balance out the mineral. So calcium never ever stands alone. If you give too much, there are at least two (sometimes three if you count magnesium) other nutrients out there that will be effected.

 

[purpletree23]

Go back to the feed store. If they are selling chicken feed then they must be selling chick and chicken grit. Ask someone who has worked there for a while. Sometimes the newbies aren't sure what they sell.

 

[threehorses]

Quote:
Sometimes the oldies aren't sure what they sell, either. I just ask if I can go back and look at the bags myself - makes life easier as I can read the "purpose" of the feed. (Grower for laying flocks, finisher for broilers, etc - it gets confusing)