GRIT

[cindy]

I am one that use to offer the blue mineral grit chips and no longer do so...I have seen to many cases in finches where it has caused impaction. One such case the grit was blocking the food from emptying the crop, the bird feeling hungry constantly kept eating seed, the crop were doubled in size, meanwhile the lower belly was wasting away, the bird died from malnourishment. Very sad. I have also been called over to the avian vet's to look at a necropsy with a similar issue with a friend's bird that was so impacted with charcoal from gorging on it that it died..... crop was full of charcoal, three proso seeds in the crop and the lower body was emaciated.

My birds are getting additional calcium via foods, pellets (specific formulation) and a weekly supplement and prior to the hens laying eggs. I do however hang cuttlebone and give powdered egg shell.

Interesting cindy,

Incidentally would you use oyster shell as a calcium source as it obviously dissolves and could possibly still aid digestion at the same time

Be interested to here a few views on this

No, I stopped buying oyster shell since I supply pellets formulated with extra calcium and D3 and I supplement with a pretty complete powder supplements once a week. When hens are nesting they receive either liquid or a powdered calcium with D3 daily until they stop laying. I also use egg shell but grind it in a coffee grinder and offer it that way. I rarely have issues with egg binding. To me this is sufficient.

[Stuart whiting]

I have hung Cuttlebone in the finch cage ----- I have yet to see either finch go near it .

Hi Patrick,

With the cuttle bone you actually grate it and can mix it with the seed mix

[Stuart whiting]

I am one that use to offer the blue mineral grit chips and no longer do so...I have seen to many cases in finches where it has caused impaction. One such case the grit was blocking the food from emptying the crop, the bird feeling hungry constantly kept eating seed, the crop were doubled in size, meanwhile the lower belly was wasting away, the bird died from malnourishment. Very sad. I have also been called over to the avian vet's to look at a necropsy with a similar issue with a friend's bird that was so impacted with charcoal from gorging on it that it died..... crop was full of charcoal, three proso seeds in the crop and the lower body was emaciated.

My birds are getting additional calcium via foods, pellets (specific formulation) and a weekly supplement and prior to the hens laying eggs. I do however hang cuttlebone and give powdered egg shell.

My personal opinion is that if birds are gorging on mineral mix or charcoal to the point of impaction, there is something else going on with the bird that caused it to gorge. I don't believe a normal, healthy bird will gorge on minerals or charcoal to the point of impaction.

Totally agree Sally

[Stuart whiting]

I am one that use to offer the blue mineral grit chips and no longer do so...I have seen to many cases in finches where it has caused impaction. One such case the grit was blocking the food from emptying the crop, the bird feeling hungry constantly kept eating seed, the crop were doubled in size, meanwhile the lower belly was wasting away, the bird died from malnourishment. Very sad. I have also been called over to the avian vet's to look at a necropsy with a similar issue with a friend's bird that was so impacted with charcoal from gorging on it that it died..... crop was full of charcoal, three proso seeds in the crop and the lower body was emaciated.

My birds are getting additional calcium via foods, pellets (specific formulation) and a weekly supplement and prior to the hens laying eggs. I do however hang cuttlebone and give powdered egg shell.

Interesting cindy,

Incidentally would you use oyster shell as a calcium source as it obviously dissolves and could possibly still aid digestion at the same time

Be interested to here a few views on this

No, I stopped buying oyster shell since I supply pellets formulated with extra calcium and D3 and I supplement with a pretty complete powder supplements once a week. When hens are nesting they receive either liquid or a powdered calcium with D3 daily until they stop laying. I also use egg shell but grind it in a coffee grinder and offer it that way. I rarely have issues with egg binding. To me this is sufficient.

I can go along with that, fair play cindy