Bill and his bird food specialists continue to focus on health, welfare and conservation and improving the standard of bird diets in the UK. Recently they have uncovered scientific evidence to support the important role calcium plays in a bird’s diet: “It has many functions, including: skeletal development, muscle and nerve contraction, control of other metabolic processes, such as hormone secretion and of course the production of high-quality, well-shelled eggs,” explains the research and development team.
Because calcium is essential in a bird’s diet, Bill’s team has been focusing on ways to make it more accessible to wild birds and – importantly, at what levels, as they know they’ll fluctuate during the year, during the breeding season for example.
A diet that’s insufficient in calcium can mean deficiencies in skeletal development, egg production and other important bodily functions can result. Young birds that are calcium-deficient can grow abnormally, leading to bowing or fractures in bones. Not a pleasant thought.
However, a diet that’s adequate in calcium is likely to lead to:
- Better skeletal development
- Larger broods
- Higher fledgling success
- Eggs with correct shell thickness and less likely to break
- Optimal body condition in adults
- Calcium also helps provide roughage
All Bill’s Bird Food Recipes are now adequate in calcium, just in time for winter.
So next time you’re filling your feeder, think of this: to stop egg shells from being thin – you’re putting CalciYummy in!”
- Bill Oddie
Bill mouths playfully in a Lancashire accent. “Please don’t be fooled by its playful name,” explains Bill. “We’re ALWAYS serious about nature conservation. It’s 100% natural and it’s good for birds. So next time you’re filling your feeder, think of this: to stop egg shells from being thin – you’re putting CalciYummy in!"