I like Leach brand grit which comes with oyster shell mixed in. It's the same brand as the feed I buy and it's very clean. Like Elizabeth, I also supplement my pigeons' water with calcium gluconate a couple times a week because some hens seem to have trouble absorbing enough from grit alone. Oyster shell is good but isn't the most absorbable form of calcium. I rarely introduce new birds but I do treat my flock several times a year for canker, coccidiosis and worms as prevention. The product I like best is Global's Multi-mix. It dissolves readily in water. -Cathy _____ From: mickacoo-bounces@mickaboo.org [mailto:mickacoo-bounces@mickaboo.org] On Behalf Of Ingrid Taylar Sent: Friday, July 30, 2010 11:15 AM Cc: MickaCoo@mickaboo.org; Elizabeth Young; Suzanne Flusche; Lucy & Jonathan Tolmach; Diane Rowley Subject: Re: [MickaCoo] Products (one of which is on sale right now) thatI'vebegun using for my pet & foster pigeons Elizabeth, I believe you had your grit tested at one time. Do you know if the grit combos at Jedd's -- the ones that contain redstone and oyster shell -- tend to be okay in terms of their content? I was giving C+C this one most of the time: http://www.jedds.com/-strse-1059/GRIT-WITH-REDSTONE-2.5kg/Detail.bok On Jul 30, 2010, at 7:09 AM, Fishman, Kimberly wrote: Great email, Elizabeth! We used to simply add the oyster shell to our feed but our hen "Abbey" had developed a prolapsed cloaca - the vet decided it may have been her first try at laying & she was likely to be deficient in calcium needing to be able to free feed on the oyster shell- so we have a dish with exclusively oyster shell in the aviary at all times now & so far so good! Because they WILL lay eggs- they need to be healthy! From: mickacoo-bounces@mickaboo.org [mailto:mickacoo-bounces@mickaboo.org] On Behalf Of Elizabeth Young Sent: Thursday, July 29, 2010 5:55 PM To: MickaCoo@mickaboo.org; Lucy & Jonathan Tolmach; Diane Rowley; Suzanne Flusche Subject: [MickaCoo] Products (one of which is on sale right now) that I'vebegun using for my pet & foster pigeons Hello- I like to keep things simple and so am not big on additives and supplements but I was introduced to these two products and like them. One- the calcium gluconate- is to help support healthy egg-laying which may sound silly since we're pulling eggs and replacing with fakes but egg-binding and other reproductive issues can be very serious for hens. Good eggs can help them to avoid some of those risks. It may just be a coincidence but I believe my hens have been doing better since I started adding this to the water weekly. (I've also started adding crushed oyster shell to my birds' grit to better support hens' nutritional needs.) The other (which is the one on sale http://vitakingproducts.com/vkspecial1.htm $37 this month, regularly $45) is a "5 in 1" treatment that I use in my birds' water once a month (for 5 days). My coop, which sees so many new birds come through, is especially at risk of common pij ailments like worms, coccidosis, canker, etc. Using it for your flocks might be unnecessary or, perhaps, you may want to consider using it only quarterly or only for new birds that come in. There's another product that has been recommended, Foy's 4 in 1 (http://www.foyspigeonsupplies.com/catalog/6014.html) but it has been out of stock for quite a while (which is why I tried the VitaKing 5 in 1.) In any case- I just ordered mine and wanted to take a minute and share the info with you- something that has been on my To Do list for quite a while. (Note: I'd prefer to purchase these items from Jedd's because they don't sell birds but they don't carry the calcium gluconate and charge $50 for the 5 in 1.) http://vitakingproducts.com/images/calcium%20gluconatec.jpg Calcium Gluconate $7.50 Item # VIT0033 A water soluble product used to prevent calcium Qty: 1 http://vitakingproducts.com/btn_cart.gif deficiency in hens during breeding and helps in the development of smoother and stronger eggs. During breeding season: use 1 tablespoon per gallon of water twice a week. 500 ml http://vitakingproducts.com/images/vkfiveinone.gif 5 in 1 Treatment Treatment for coccidiosis, canker, respiratory, $45.00 worms, plus Vita Pro Combo. Combination of Item # ANT0050 amprolium, Ridzol S, tylosine, levamisol, Vita Pro Qty: 1 http://vitakingproducts.com/btn_cart.gif Combo. Dosage: 2 level teaspoons (15 grams) per gallon of water for 5 days. 200 grams -- Elizabeth Until they all have homes, don't buy, don't breed- adopt. www.RescueReport.org www.MickaCoo.org http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGjyooh3Yo0 _______________________________________________ MickaCoo mailing list MickaCoo@mickaboo.org https://mickaboo.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/mickacoo