Ducks layed an egg. What now?

wtusa1718

Chirping
Apr 12, 2020
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Do I need to go get some layer food? I have two hens. Do you suggest any?
 

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Country Lane All Flock is what I feed. It's a grower and a layer, the main reason I bought it was because it was the only one at my store that fit the 16% protein content I wanted. My oldest girl has been laying for a few months now and I just started getting two eggs a day and they've been very thick shells. I also feed the duck egg shell back to them just to make sure they're getting enough calcium.
 
Do I need to go get some layer food? I have two hens. Do you suggest any?

If they're laying, they will need more calcium than before.

They can get the extra calcium by eating layer feed.

Or you can put out a dish of oyster shell that they can eat for calcium, and they can keep eating the same feed they have been eating.
 
Country Lane All Flock is what I feed. It's a grower and a layer, the main reason I bought it was because it was the only one at my store that fit the 16% protein content I wanted. My oldest girl has been laying for a few months now and I just started getting two eggs a day and they've been very thick shells. I also feed the duck egg shell back to them just to make sure they're getting enough calcium.
I never thought of that! Would it work with store bough chicken eggs as well? Do I need to clean them out and crush them?
 
Would it work with store bough chicken eggs as well? Do I need to clean them out and crush them?

It does not need cleaning. It's a good idea to squish the shell enough that it doesn't look like an egg. Dropping a shell on the ground and stepping on it is good enough. You just don't want them in the habit of pecking at smooth round objects to get food.

Eggshell recycling isn't completely efficient--a chicken needs to eat about two shells to get enough calcium to make one new one. I would assume similar ratios for ducks or other birds, but I have not checked to be sure.
 
I never thought of that! Would it work with store bough chicken eggs as well? Do I need to clean them out and crush them?
Probably I've never fed them chicken eggs though. Yes I crush them for my ducks so they will be more interested and not hurt themselves trying to eat it. I let them dry for a few days.

It does not need cleaning. It's a good idea to squish the shell enough that it doesn't look like an egg. Dropping a shell on the ground and stepping on it is good enough. You just don't want them in the habit of pecking at smooth round objects to get food.

Eggshell recycling isn't completely efficient--a chicken needs to eat about two shells to get enough calcium to make one new one. I would assume similar ratios for ducks or other birds, but I have not checked to be sure.
It's better than nothing and it may be more efficient with ducks than chickens. I have chickens and I feed everyone the same thing and it is true that without the oyster shells the chickens eggs are thinner, so this is why I supplement the chickens more. I only recently just started feeding the shells back to the ducks and the chickens I haven't tried yet and I am curious to see how they do. I do feed oyster shells sometimes but the ducks were acting like it was grit more than calcium. I know too much calcium is bad for them when not laying or young or a drake for example. I have drakes with the flock, he wasn't as interested in the egg shell as he was with the oyster shell. And I like not wasting the shells.
Good luck everyone! :)
 
I would not give my ducks store bought chicken egg shells because I would be worried about disease. Go to the feed store and buy a big bag of oyster shell. Mix your own duck’s shells in with it if you want. They do eat it better that way. Then, feed you ducks duck food! I have had trouble with thin shelled eggs and shellless eggs whenever I feed my ducks chicken layer pellets. I currently feed Purina duck pellets with oyster shell offered in a separate bowl and my ducks are back to laying well (they are 1-4 years old).
 

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