Natural Calcium for Birds

Calcium Sources and Absorbability

Bird Nutrition

Most of us are aware of the serious health issues caused by a calcium-deficient diet, but very few of us understand the risks associated with an EXCESSIVE dietary calcium intake that is generally associated with fortified diets (pellets) and over-supplementation, which may lead to hypercalcemia – also known as “milk alkali syndrome” – which basically means that the calcium levels in the blood are elevated.

Symptoms of Hypocalcaemia (low calcium levels) are:

• Poor eggshell formation
• Poor bone health
• Unhealthy heart
• Seizures
• Nervousness

Symptoms of Hypercalcaemia (elevated calcium levels) are:

• Vomiting
• Constipation
• Abdominal pain
• Lameness
• Calcification of the kidneys
• Breeding Birds: Hens may not be able to lay eggs; or chicks may not be able to break out of shells
• Death

Excellent supplemental sources of calcium for your bird are:

• Leafy, dark green vegetables, such as broccoli, kale, cabbage, mustard greens, broccoli, dandelion greens, bokchoy, parsley, and collard greens
• Beans, such as kidney beans, chickpeas, pinto beans, black beans and soybeans (only to be fed COOKED – raw beans are slightly toxic)
• Dried fruits, such as apricots, raisins and figs – please feed in moderation since they are too high in sugar
• Nuts and Seeds, such as sesame seeds or tahini, almonds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds and flaxseeds – feed in moderation since most nuts and seeds are high in fat, but they make healthy snacks
• Other: Bone, Cheese, Yogurt; as well as sanitized Eggshell, Oyster shell, Cuttlefish bone, and Mineral blocks

Rich sources of magnesium for your bird are:

• Nuts: almonds, cashews and Brazil nuts
• Seeds: Sunflower, flax, pumpkin and chia seeds
• Legumes: lentils, beans (boiled), chickpeas, peas and soybeans
• Darkgreen, leafy vegetables,such as broccoli and spinach
• Whole grains, such as buckwheat and quinoa
• Apples

Vitamin D

• Fatty fish (like tuna, mackerel and salmon)
• Cheese
• Egg yolks
• Beef liver
• Full-spectrum lighting**
• Access to DIRECT sunlight – window glass absorbs a lot of the necessary ultraviolet radiation needed to form Vitamin D