Feeding back eggshells, integrating new birds

[PirateGirl]

Since my chickens have started laying, I've started feeding them back their eggshells as available free choice. If there aren't enough eggshells they get oyster shells. I'm getting a few ducks soon. They will not be housed with the chickens and are coming from another homestead, not a hatchery. Is it ok to mix all the chicken and duck eggshells together and feed them back to both the chickens and ducks. Is there any health concern or quarantine type concern with this since the ducks are coming from a different flock? I am relatively new to chickens and have never had ducks and I don't want to do anything to compromise the health of my existing flock. Thank you for your input.

 

[JaeG]

I wouldn't until your ducks have been through quarantine, just in case. Egg shells do not have as much calcium as oyster shell grit so it's best to have both available. Here's a very good article about this topic - I learned a few new things, especially about how important the size of the particles of the calcium source is.
http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2013/08/for-strong-eggshells-size-matters.html

 

[PirateGirl]

I wouldn't until your ducks have been through quarantine, just in case. Egg shells do not have as much calcium as oyster shell grit so it's best to have both available. Here's a very good article about this topic - I learned a few new things, especially about how important the size of the particles of the calcium source is.
http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2013/08/for-strong-eggshells-size-matters.html

I didn't realize that they didn't have as much calcium as the oyster shell. That explains why they go through the eggshell so much more quickly!