Opinions about IODINE for gouldians

[danaday]

Hello Everyone

I've read a lot of information about iodine for gouldians and am slightly confused. I know for gouldians its suppose to be a necessary supplement for feathers and etc. But I've read both positive and negative reasons on it. So I am wondering if I provide a well balanced varied diet for my finches, should I add iodine to their water and etc? My birds don't seem to have molting/feathering issues nor reproductive problems. I would love to read everyone's take on iodine supplementation. I'm sort in agreement with Mike Fidler in that if you feed a complete correct diet... you shouldn't have the need to add vitamins/supplements to their diet.

[debbie276]

I don't think you will have a problem with a complete balanced diet. In over 12 years I have never supplemented with iodine. Over doing the iodine can be worse then to little.

[gsjohnson]

I use "Feather Glow" with iodine daily in every water change for all of my birds, although I add it on the light side of what is recommend. This product has other vitamins with the iodine as well. I also try and achieve a well balanced diet as I think we all do.

http://www.friskyfinches.com/index.htm

[nixity]

I don't think I would ever use a supplement daily in water :/
You're basically forcing the uptake on the birds even if you're not dosing it at the recommendation.

I offer my birds powdered kelp which they relish, so it's free choice.. if they want it, they eat it, if not, they don't.
I figure if they're eating it, it's for a reason.. I notice my birds consume it most heavily when they're feeding babies.

In terms of the whole Gouldians needing more iodine and balding etc etc, this may be of interest to you:
http://www.geocities.com/bjbills1/Balding.html