Aussie Finch Forum

Makes perfect sence put like that. Sorry I tend to take things a bit literally at times. But better to clarify and understand than be confused. So what you are saying is make sure they have calcium and Vitamin D available all year round for best practice. But definately for longer than just while they are laying.
LML

Yep, that's it FB.

Just be careful to follow the recommended doses for the vitamin supplements. Oversupplementation can cause just as many problems as deficiencies. This is only likely to occur when several supplements are used at the same time in foods which the birds eat readily and are unaware they are eating it
eg in egg food or sprouted seed.

Birds are unlikely to overeat shellgrit or cuttlebone under normal conditions.

It does make you wonder though how chooks manage to lay so prolifically for such an extended time and remain healthy. Mine lay all through winter and have only a brief period when moulting when they don't lay.

They have been selectively bred to do so over many generations.
They are at the very edge of their physiological limit.
The best layers (eg ISA browns) only last 1-2 seasons before they slow down or run into reproductive trouble eg Egg yolk peritonitis.
they're designed for a highly productive, but not a long life.

Parrot breeders who pull all the eggs from their hens invariably find the same thing- they may get more eggs per season than those who let their hens naturally brood & raise chicks- but the breeding life of those hens is usually shorter.

Thanks heaps Myzo, that last post really summed it up - I had always wondered on the egg harvesters and the use of foster parents if that would have en effect on the original parents and of course the subtle health shifts in the young of the 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th harvest - guess old Albert was right when he made the statement for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction

Only use natural supplements, like cuttlefishbone and ground eggshell so no problems. Appreciate the opportunity to clarify what I had understood to be so.
LML

No worries