Vitamin D

[earlybird10842]

I heard that vitamin D efects eggshell thickness as well as calcium. How could I add this to my chicken's diet? We don't get much sun in the winter, so they can't get it naturally.

 

[centrarchid]

Fat rich animal sourced proteins best source. Typical feed should be amply fortified by vitamin premix. If you feel silly, then put a black (ultraviolet) light in coop to supplment light instead of the typical white light bulb.

 

[earlybird10842]

Fat rich animal sourced proteins best source. Typical feed should be amply fortified by vitamin premix. If you feel silly, then put a black (ultraviolet) light in coop to supplment light instead of the typical white light bulb.

Is there a way I could grind up vitamin D tablets and use that to supplement feed?

 

[centrarchid]

Is there a way I could grind up vitamin D tablets and use that to supplement feed?

Consider cod liver oil pills. They are sized for humans so squeeze oil out into a bowl of grain / scratch and mix it in. Then use allotments from the fortified scratch.

Feeding them canned salmon would serve same purpose. Does not take much.

What makes you think the birds are vitamin D defecient?

 

[earlybird10842]

Quote: Thin shelled eggs, weak bones. We don't get much sunshine up here October-April, and often I am vitamin D deficent.

 

[centrarchid]

OK. Make certain calcium and phosphorus also adequate through free-choice access to oyster shell.

The black light idea might be worth trying if not to many birds involved. Can you buy canned salmon, most for you and balance for birds? Canned salmon also has calcium and phosphorus in the bones which birds and you can consume.

 

[earlybird10842]

Thanks!