All Flock Feed Question

[djstanczak]

I have ducks and chickens some are 13 weeks some are 22 weeks and laying. I recently switch from laying mash to Naturewise 18% all flock and the birds like it and they all look good. I also offer a bowl of oyster shell but I am concerned mostly about the ducks who will start laying in a month or so. Will the oyster shell be enough calcium for them and the chickens. I would like to stay with the all flock instead of laying mash, do you think this is a mistake? Chicken eggs shells are nice so far, but its only been a few weeks since I changed them to all flock. I am getting 15-18 eggs a day from 21 hens, does that sound right?

 

[rjohns39]

I have ducks and chickens some are 13 weeks some are 22 weeks and laying. I recently switch from laying mash to Naturewise 18% all flock and the birds like it and they all look good. I also offer a bowl of oyster shell but I am concerned mostly about the ducks who will start laying in a month or so. Will the oyster shell be enough calcium for them and the chickens. I would like to stay with the all flock instead of laying mash, do you think this is a mistake? Chicken eggs shells are nice so far, but its only been a few weeks since I changed them to all flock. I am getting 15-18 eggs a day from 21 hens, does that sound right?

Yes. Just keep the free choice oyster shell out there, when the ducks need it they'll get it. I also put a cup of brewers yeast out one a week or so for the ducks.

 

[BugStalker]

Many birds seem to do well with only oyster shell. We often do this because we have a rooster. Some seem to develop a distaste for it, though, and need to be trained to eat it, again, or be put on layer feed. I am working with one of those, now. She has both all-flock and layer feed in a feeder too small for the rooster to fit, but she prefers the all-flock, and is being stubborn about the oyster shell. She's done this, before, though for most hens, simply mixing some feed and oyster shell for a while seems to do the trick. Make sure there is enough room for them all to eat it at the same time for best results, in multiple locations if you have one who hogs things.

 

[lazy gardener]

Recycling egg shell from your own flock is also a good way to go. But be aware, there is a diminishing return when recycling egg shell: eventually, you will need to be adding calcium from an other source in order to meet all of their needs. I would not supply egg shell from an outside source unless it was heat treated to kill any pathogens.

 

[rjohns39]

Many birds seem to do well with only oyster shell. We often do this because we have a rooster. Some seem to develop a distaste for it, though, and need to be trained to eat it, again, or be put on layer feed. I am working with one of those, now. She has both all-flock and layer feed in a feeder too small for the rooster to fit, but she prefers the all-flock, and is being stubborn about the oyster shell. She's done this, before, though for most hens, simply mixing some feed and oyster shell for a while seems to do the trick. Make sure there is enough room for them all to eat it at the same time for best results, in multiple locations if you have one who hogs things.

As a general rule, I've found that birds seem to know when they need extra calcium and haven't really had an issue other than to occasionally run out. When that happens, I'll boil up a bunch of their eggs, smash them up and put them out for them. Then off to the co-op I go.

 

[BugStalker]

Recycling egg shell from your own flock is also a good way to go. But be aware, there is a diminishing return when recycling egg shell: eventually, you will need to be adding calcium from an other source in order to meet all of their needs. I would not supply egg shell from an outside source unless it was heat treated to kill any pathogens.

My stubborn hen prefers crushed eggshell over other sources of calcium. I might add some to the oyster shell to see if it helps. I don't remember trying that, before.

 

[BugStalker]

Large pieces of oyster shell mixed with large pieces of cracked corn worked. She likes large pieces. Another thing was feeding at night when she was on the roost, and couldn't really see what she was eating. Haha