How often to give calcium supplement?

[Bird Mom]

My breeder cockatiel is laying eggs and doesn't eat her cuttlebone very much. I ordered zoo med avian calcium. It doesn't say how often to give it to your egg layer. The reviews online said they feed it every day, but I wanted opinions first. I know too much is bad for them.
Please don't start telling me I shouldn't be giving it to her. It is my bird and I feel it is what's best for her.

[Casper's 2nd best friend]

Maybe she doesn't eat her cuttlebone because she doesn't need more calcium? What do they do in the wild to supplement their diet when egg-laying? I don't know the answers but would be interested to find out. They seem to be quite in tune with their bodies requirements. Hopefully an expert will be along shortly to answer our questions.

[P&K]

In my experience when I was feeding a seed diet my cockatiel would chew on the cuddle bone but since I switched to a pellet diet, he doesn't use it as much.

For an egg-layer, I'd probably add a little bit every day also. It makes sense since her body is using the calcium to form the eggs.

[spiritbird]

Suggested use: For adult birds, add 1/5 teaspoon per 1 oz of food. For breeding hens, add 2/5 teaspoon per 1 oz of food. I buy crushed egg shells and sprinkle it over the food. [Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks]

Here is another option for you. I feed crushed egg shells from Twin Beaks Aviary. The owner will speak to you over the phone or e mail is you have questions. I also feed the herb salad.
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[Bird Mom]

Thank you. I read that on doctor foster but it didn't say how often to give it. I've been doing about every 3 days for the egg layer.
Could crushed egg shell harm their insides?

[spiritbird]

No it will not harm them. The shells are crushed as fine as salt.

[Cedardave]

We feed calcium in the form of sanatized and powdered in the blender oyster shell every morning feed.Greys need calcium all the time..and generally if the birds body doesnt use it it is expelled in the waste.As for what is used in nature...sea shells have been noted in a study of wild parrots as being ground into a powder and ingested...particularly by males around breeding season.I cant seem to locate that study...but one would assume it was done near an ocean somewhere.Another study I heard was of captive Macaws whose enclosure had a straw,mud and seashell roof to protect them from direct heat and sunlight.It was again noted that all of the birds would ingest the broken bits of shell,and again many would grind them into a powder.Thru our experiance and reading we find the oyster shell has a higher amount pf useable calcium than chicken egg shells...which are also fine....heat at 250 for 20 min...do not burn...blend into powder.Just a pinch with food daily is all you need.On an interesting side note...we have a lesser Jardine and a Blue Crowned Conue.The Jardeine has the shakes and occassional loss of balance which is controlled by adding calcium.The conure has siezures that are under control by using extra calcium.If we dont add it...he always has a siezure.For egg laying birds, you can increase to two pinches when and for a couple weeks after they are laying their eggs and then go back to a small pinch daily.Since we are feeding a large number and variety of birds,a pinch is the best measurement I can offer...litteraly some between two fingers added to food.Best if added to fruit or damp pellets so it has a surface to stick to.

[Robyn]

I don't have breeding birds but I leave a cuttle bone and mineral block in their cage all the time that way if they want it they can have it but if not that's fine too. I recently got a calcium toy that Riley really likes it's got seashells and little calcium/mineral blocks he seems to be fond of the yellow one in particular