Why is iron bad for chicks?

[MoodyChicken]

Everyone keeps saying "poly-vi-sol with NO IRON." Is iron bad for chicks? Don't they need it? Is it only bad in excess? I know that too much iron can cause heart problems, is this why I should not offer extra iron to chicks?

 

[gritsar]

My understanding is that they can't eliminate it from their systerms well and it could reach toxic levels.

 

[patandchickens]

It is very easy to overdose human children with iron; I would imagine the same might be true for baby chicks, only the margin of error would be miniscule due to their tiny size?

Pat

 

[MoodyChicken]

Thanks everyone! In the past I've fed my chicks a vitamin supplement that had iron. There were no adverse affects. Apparently it was at a safe level for them. I'll have to compare that to the the Poly-vi-sol, it might also be safe. Thanks again!

 

[briteday]

Iron, in proportion to the size of the patient, is fine. However, human children's vitamins are meant for children from ~6-40 pounds. So the iron contained in those vitamins is dosed in the product accordingly. That would be WAY too much for a chick that weighs a few ounces. Poultry vitamin products are dosed for poultry. Therefore it's ok that they have iron in them.