Why PolyViSol with NO Iron?

[KatyTheChickenLady]

Just wondering . . . is Iron bad for chickens?

 

[gritsar]

Second time this question has come up today. Its not that it's bad, it's that the amount of iron in the baby vitamins is way too much for chicks, even in the smaller dosages.

 

[KatyTheChickenLady]

sorry, I did a search and it didn't turn up for me

where do you resource how much is too much?

 

[gritsar]

Yeah, I have the same problem when I do a search, apparently I don't use the right combination of keywords.

Barkerschickens worked out the numbers here:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=339970

 

[KatyTheChickenLady]

thanks for the link; I'm hoping to find a source of data that says how much iron is ok, and how much is to much for poultry, or whether it is even an issue. So far I just keep finding assumptions and opinions, I just really want to know for sure.

 

[gritsar]

I don't have time to look at each of the documents right now, but you might find this useful:

http://www.ansci.umn.edu/poultry/resources/nutrition.htm#vitamins

 

[WoodlandWoman]

Your body needs trace amounts of minerals like iron, copper and zinc to be healthy. So do chickens. Too much is toxic and can kill people, parrots or chickens. That's why iron supplements for people come with child proof caps and have a warning on the label that children can be poisoned by them. Children can actually die from ingesting too many adult sized iron pills.

When you start using products made for one species, especially a larger species, for another species, you need to make sure you aren't giving them something that's going to be toxic in larger doses. Water soluble vitamins don't have the same issues as minerals and fat soluble vitamins, because it's easier for bodies to get rid of the excess water soluble vitamins.