FAQ: Health for birds

Grit is usually given in a separate small dish rather than mixed with the seed, so the bird takes as much as it needs. Put in only a little and follow the pack instructions.

The grit particles must match the bird's size: small birds such as finches or canaries need fine grit, while pigeons and chickens need coarser grit. The pack usually states which birds the grit is meant for.

It is crushed oyster shell – a soluble grit that supplies calcium. It is mostly used for laying hens, pigeons and other breeding birds, given in a separate dish.

Some cage sands contain shell or mineral additives, and birds sometimes peck at them. But floor sand is primarily litter, and if a bird needs grit, it is better given in a separate clean dish.

Better not: garden or beach sand can contain parasites, bacteria, salt or chemical residues. Clean grit made for birds and of the right size is safer.

Charcoal is traditionally added to some grit mixes, but taken for long periods in large amounts it can bind some nutrients. Use such a mix according to the label, and ask a vet about using it continuously.

Grit is worth replacing completely on a regular basis rather than just topping up, as dust, husks and droppings collect in the dish. Clean grit in a dry place can stay in the dish longer than seed, but soiled grit must be thrown away.

Free-range chickens often find small stones themselves, but in winter, under snow or when kept in a run, grit is worth giving in a separate dish. Laying hens are also given a calcium source such as oyster shell separately.

Cuttlebone is the internal shell of the cuttlefish, a sea mollusc, and it is rich in calcium. Birds chew it to take in calcium and minerals, and the chewing also helps keep the beak in shape.

Cuttlebone is most often given to budgies, canaries, cockatiels, lovebirds and finches. It suits large parrots too, though they chew through it much faster.

Fix the cuttlebone to the bars next to a perch with a special holder or clip, so the bird can reach it easily. Do not hang it under perches or by the drinker, where it would get dirty or wet.

Turn the soft, porous side towards the bird, as it can easily scrape it with its beak. The hard side is tougher and harder for the bird to chew.

Replace the cuttlebone when the bird has chewed it down or when it gets soiled with droppings or wet. A clean cuttlebone can stay in the cage for a long time while the bird uses it.

Some birds are wary of new things or simply do not know what to do with it. You can scrape the surface a little to make some crumbs or move it to another spot, and if the bird still does not use it, ask a vet about another calcium source.

Cuttlebone found on the beach contains salt and may carry pollutants, so it would need long soaking, boiling and drying. It is simpler and safer to use clean cuttlebone made for birds.

Cuttlebone sold for birds is usually ready to use and needs no washing. If it is dusty, it can be rinsed briefly and dried completely before going into the cage.

Both are calcium sources, but cuttlebone is softer and easier to chew, while a mineral block often contains other minerals too and is harder. Many owners give a bird both so it can choose.

Laying hens or hens getting ready to breed often do this because they need more calcium, while other birds simply like chewing. If a bird suddenly chews much more of it than usual, it is worth asking a vet.

Yes, large parrots can also get calcium from cuttlebone; they just crumble it very quickly. Some owners give it in pieces under supervision or choose sturdier mineral blocks made for large birds.

For many birds, cuttlebone together with a varied diet is a sufficient calcium source. For laying hens, chicks or sick birds a vet may advise extra calcium sources.