Yogurt Might be Harmful for Chicks?

[canadianbacon]

I've read several posts that declared yogurt as a great treat for chicks. However, I've also read posts warning about the damage calcium can cause to chickens that aren't fully grown. I checked a yogurt container for its content of calcium and found that a cup of yogurt contains 40%DV. Is Yogurt truly a safe treat to give to the chicks?

 

[havi]

I dont know about the calcium build up. But I use to give it to my chicks as a treat. I didnt do it everyday, maybe once or twice a week. They use to go nuts over it. I gave it to mine when they were around 3 or 4 weeks old though.


ETA: And I never had any problems.

 

[canadianbacon]

Hmm... Thanks for your input. How much yogurt did you give your chicks at a time?

 

[havi]

It just depended on how many I had. One time I only had 6 and I would give them maybe 1/4 cup. Then when I had 19 I would give them a little over 1/2 cup. I just kinda eyed it. After a little while and they had stopped eating it, I would pick it up and toss it. I hope someone else is able to give you some input too.

 

[Judy]

I just read one of the experienced chicken people on here saying 1 tsp per chicken is enough. They also don't usually digest milk products very well. I believe it is best given a couple of times a week.

 

[deidreschultz]

I give mine yogurt every morning they love it !!!. I make them a little plate b/f I go to work. It has fruit, veggies, and just 2 spoons of yogurt. S/t a little cottage chees. They truly love that. I have 8 so it's not like they each get 2 spoonsfuls. I read several posts that yogurt if good very their gut as well as the apple cider vinegar in their water.

 

[gritsar]

They are not eating the yogurt in the same large amounts as they are their regular starter/grower food. If they were, then I'd worry.

 

[digitS']

The USDA tells us that an 8 week-old leghorn-type pullet requires 7 grams of calcium each week - or, 1 gram per day. (1,000 grams of .7% calcium feed per week)

The USDA also tells us that a cup of yogurt contains about .5 gram of calcium.

Looks to me like a spoonful of yogurt wouldn't add much calcium especially since the growing pullet has a fairly high need for this mineral. Of course, once she begins losing 2.2 grams of calcium daily in her eggshell, the laying hen has an incredibly high need for calcium.

Steve