Supplying adequate calcium to caged birds is a challenge as a bird’s calcium requirements vary wildly throughout a season.

Most caged bird feeds are calcium deficient, many of them severely so!

Different species have different needs, small birds lay proportionally larger eggs than larger birds and small eggs contain proportionally more shell. Thus smaller birds have a greater requirement for calcium than larger birds. This is one reason we see more egg bound small species!

For example, a Zebra finch hen will exhaust all the calcium in her skeleton after 5 eggs – she needs to have a constant calcium intake during the laying period to prevent deficiency.

Calcium absorption is controlled by a complex interaction of parathyroid hormone, Vitamin D3, calcium binding protein, dietary calcium level, form of the calcium in the diet, amount of fat in the feed, size of the calcium particles, acidity in the gut and strength of the gizzard.,.. whew, no wonder it is difficult!!!

During eggshell formation, calcium carbonate is produced and goes to create the egg shell. The amount of calcium in the blood is enough for about 15 minutes of shell formation – for the remaining time (15 – 20 hours) calcium needs to be absorbed from the gut or released from the bones.

Apart from Calcium, many feeds we give birds are deficient in various vitamins. D Nutrical (Vetafarm) is a readily absorbed form of calcium in a powder with added vitamins and minerals. This formula has proven very successful in large breeding facilities and Zoos as it is easily given and very concentrated.