I do not know much yet, so this might be a stupid question but if i give my ducks access to sand and pebbles which is abundant in my yard will they still need grit? i wont be able to free range them so i would ineed to put it in pile/a hopper in their run... also how much would say, 10 ducks need in a day/week or year? or what ever. I plan on getting kahki campbells, and is the oyster shell for grit? or calcium? do ducks need the oyster like chickens?? Thanks!
I can't answer the grit question as an expert, but we always free range our ducks and don't supply grit, and I've got beautiful healthy ducks. we also have a lot of DG and some sand in our dirt, so I'm guessing they get plenty of it from puttering around in our muddy spots. oyster shell is for calcium, and yes they need it for laying. duck egg shells are much thicker than chicken egg shells, so I'm guessing they probably need more than chickens do. we free range our birds together, so I can't tell who's actually eating the bulk of it, but I see both the ducks and the chickens eating it. we just keep the oyster shell pan stocked and let them work out how much they need.
Grit really is just sand and small pebble. If they're dabbling around the yard free-ranging I'd bet they are doing just fine. The calcium is a whole 'nother story...best left to others who've dealt with it!
You have to provide calcium full time to heavily laying ducks. The gal who runs the duck rescue here in Phoenix says that if Campbells don't get calcium supplemented to replenish all that heavy laying they will get osteoporosis within weeks. She said you can provide oyster shell, or you can save all your household egg shells, crush them and feed them back to them.
you can feed ducks a bit of grit so they have healthy egg shells but if your ducks are free ranging they might find snails, and snails shells are extremly good for them, if they do not find them find them for them and put them in there run for them to find.
If you're feeding layer feed, they don't need the extra calcium, especially if they have free range time to supplement their calcium with what they find in the yard. And ditto on the grit--if they're free ranging, they're finding plenty on their own, especially if they have access to sand. Mine get layer feed in the evening and free range during the day and they do great.
I'm thinking about getting pekin ducks and I want to have everything I need for them. Is grit absolutely necessary for them to have or can they still live healthily without them.
ducks and chickens dont have teeth . grit (in one form or another- be it tiny pebbles , sand, or crushed stone etc) IS necessary for the animal to properly grind up and digest their food. they can live healthy with out you supplying it if they are free ranged - they will find it themselves - but they still will get it . if they are layers youll need to provide oyster shell grit for the calcium.- but not till laying age