Do I NEED crushed oyster shell?

[Nebraskagirl]

Our female just started laying for the first time ever. Her shells on her eggs are nice and hard. I have never used oyster shell as a supplement and I give them flock feed not layer feed. Should I use oyster shell anyway or wait?

 

[ducklover87]

I've never used oyster shell with my ducks and there egg shells are very hard and sometimes really hard to break. But I also use a layer feed with mine. Do they ever break when she lays them? If there isn't any cracks or breaks in them I don't think you'd need to use the oyster shell.

 

[Nebraskagirl]

I've never used oyster shell with my ducks and there egg shells are very hard and sometimes really hard to break. But I also use a layer feed with mine. Do they ever break when she lays them? If there isn't any cracks or breaks in them I don't think you'd need to use the oyster shell.

So far she has laid two eggs ever and both appear to be nice and firm, even the very first egg was firm with no breaks. Maybe I should switch to layer feed? Or just keep doing what I am doing? This is so confusing......

 

[Miss Lydia]

I put out Oyster shell and i use an all flock feed too, but if your duck needs calcium to make her egg shells and she isn't getting it form feed and forage then it will come out of her bones, which i don't think is a good thing, oyster shell is inexpensive and goes a long way, I just put it in a separate bowl and they use it as needed.

 

[missnu01]

I guess it is one of those things...it can help, and it usually won't hurt. Broccoli has a lot of calcium...you could give egg shells, or other calcium laden veggies and such, and then if you start to see thin eggs then start giving the calcium...or get a little and just sprinkle some on the food. I think it's very possible that these animals don't need all the calcium we give them...then again chickens and such today lay way more eggs than they used to.

 

[greatblueheron]

I'm not an expert but what I've been told is that if you use a good layer feed that should suffice. I would use the hardness of your eggs as an indicator. I've also heard if you do feed oyster shell to not mix in their feed. Not sure why that is. Thanks for asking this question because I've been curious what other folks do as well.

 

[missnu01]

I also like the idea of getting a back of all flock, and a bag of layer pellets and mixing them...that way they get the extra protein, and but also the extra calcium...I think that will be my next feeding trial. The 2 mixed. I like the size of the eggs when the chickens are getting higher protein, but I don't like worrying about whether they are getting enough calcium...

 

[jdywntr]

Oyster shell is pretty cheap. I think I paid $8 for a 50lb bag. It can't hurt. I have a big variety in ages in my birds, youngest is 1 day oldest almost 1 year so for me it is easier to provide oyster shell on the side than have to seperate everyone for feeding. Young ducks/chickens can't eat layer as it's bad for them so I am now feeding starter to everyone (its the only other thing available here) and they have a bowl of oyster shells. I also give rinsed, crushed egg shells. They all prefer the egg shells but they go fast. The way I look at it is I'd rather have it than have to deal with problems that can result in soft shelled egg laying.

 

[ducklover87]

So far she has laid two eggs ever and both appear to be nice and firm, even the very first egg was firm with no breaks. Maybe I should switch to layer feed? Or just keep doing what I am doing? This is so confusing......

Ya I know what you mean when mine first started laying I had the same questions. I have Pekins and ive been getting an egg a day from my females since they've started laying and have had no problems with cracks or breaks except when I drop them

then it's a horrible mess to clean up. I'd say just judge by the eggs you get or if you find that your still not sure maybe buy a bag and see if that changes the eggs or anything and if you see no difference then I'd say you don't need it.

 

[Miss Lydia]

They thing is they are not going to eat more than they need, The oyster shell /grit container is no where near the feed bowls and i see my girls randomly going over an eating of it. If you wait till you see thin shells then what is her body doing? I really don't think it is wise to wait. I just started mixing my feed half layer half all flock and i am still seeing my girls eating OS, but I won't go to all layer because I have drakes/gander and roosters and don't think they need the extra calcium. And they can get calcium in other veggies but we don't know if it is enough to keep their bones healthy, I buy kale romaine lettuce and collards for my flock for the extra calcium and still see them eating the OS. just my 2 cents.