cuttlefish for hens?

Selkie · « **on:** August 09, 2007, 21:50 »

Hello, this is my first post on here...

we are lucky enough to live near the sea and i was wondering if it's a good idea to give our two hens some of the cuttlefish 'bones' that i find washed up on the beach?

people give them to budgies/parrots etc so is it ok to give them to hens aswell? (i'm thinking the calcium would be good for them)

any suggestions or comments would be welcome!

thanks

muntjac · « **Reply #1 on:** August 09, 2007, 21:56 »

welcome to the gang rosemary .but please absolutly do not .they will conatain salt and salt is a poison.also you cannot tell what pollutants are in the cuttle fish just by oestra ( oyster shell. the cutle fish that is used by small bird keepers is deep water cuttlefish and is caught for the meat the shell is a by product

Selkie · « **Reply #2 on:** August 09, 2007, 22:06 »

thanks for such a quick reply to my post!

ooh that sounds really scary, i hadn't thought that it could be so dangerous -- thank you VERY much, i wouldn't want to hurt my girls (dora and daisy)

richyrich7 · « **Reply #3 on:** August 09, 2007, 22:21 »

Hello rosemarycallsthegoddess welcome to the forums

KathyH · « **Reply #4 on:** August 10, 2007, 14:22 »

I had actually just bought a bit of cuttlefish bone from a pet shop for the chooks but hadn't put it in with them yet.
We used to have budgies and they loved it so I just thought it would be good for chickens too.
So as its from a pet shop would that mean it was from a deep water fish and ok for use?
Could I lick the cuttlefish bone it and see if its salty?
:?
Hmmmm - maybe just bin it to be safe?

muntjac · « **Reply #5 on:** August 10, 2007, 21:27 »

yours is fine kathy . but why buy it when you can get oestra ( oyster shell) which is the proper stuff ,the birds will chew tyw cuttle fish it will dissolve in the crop and then be digested but have no grinding value , can i alsopoint out that to much calcium is worse than not enough in the diet

KathyH · « **Reply #6 on:** August 10, 2007, 23:44 »

Ok fair point. I already have the oyster shell stuff - I just thought they might enjoy it and the calcium would be good. But as you say they probably have enough already.

Aunt Sally · « **Reply #7 on:** August 11, 2007, 19:54 »

Quote from: "muntjac"

can i also point out that to much calcium is worse than not enough in the diet

I didn't know that Munty. What problems can too much cause :?:

muntjac · « **Reply #8 on:** August 12, 2007, 14:55 »

it makes malformation on the bones and also causes " chits on eggs where they lay it down in mishapen eggs and also chits are little flecks of shell that stick in nodules .the birds bones become to dense. same as the opposite in children with rickets

Aunt Sally · « **Reply #9 on:** August 12, 2007, 19:15 »

Thanks for that info Munty.

richyrich7 · « **Reply #10 on:** August 12, 2007, 20:56 »

It can also cause kidney damage, especially in cocks and non laying hens.
According to Blackhen farm I googled it after seeing Munty's post.

Aunt Sally · « **Reply #11 on:** August 12, 2007, 21:10 »

To little is easy to judge - poor egg shells - but how do you judge too much... Munty says pimples on egg shell. Is that the only sign :?:

muntjac · « **Reply #12 on:** August 12, 2007, 21:43 »

for the avergae 6 chooks get a salmon tin and put one loadof oestra in a feeder every 12 weeks that is more than enough .

MontyTom · « **Reply #13 on:** August 12, 2007, 21:49 »

if you are feeding layers/mash, that should also contain calcium.

Aunt Sally · « **Reply #14 on:** August 12, 2007, 23:14 »

Quote from: "MontyTom"

if you are feeding layers/mash, that should also contain calcium.

Very true Monty, but that will contain sufficient calcium if it is their complete diet (as it is designed to be).

My hens free range at least half, possibly more of the time, so eat loads of grass, bugs, little bits of stuff in the dirt that I can't even see. spiders, worms etc. plus anything I give them as treats (I was horrified... OH gave them the first cob of sweetcorn from the lottie today :shock: ). I leave them a dish of mixed grit and oyster shell which is always topped up so that they can snack on it as needed. I just hope the know by instinct what they need :?

Cuttlefish for chickens? what do you think? Started by babybird on The Hen House	6 Replies 5116 Views	September 24, 2008, 21:34 by Aunt Sally
Which hens for our broody? Need good layers and hardy hens, - which to choose Started by sarahkk on The Hen House	7 Replies 4840 Views	February 18, 2011, 12:24 by sarahkk
Introducing new hens to freerange hens Started by Oliveview on The Hen House	5 Replies 4052 Views	February 02, 2008, 18:50 by mdueal
Introducing new hens to existing hens Started by Elcie on The Hen House	10 Replies 6577 Views	February 07, 2010, 14:52 by joyfull

cuttlefish for hens?

Selkie

Selkie