Is it to early to give my ducks layer feed?

[happy duck]

Hi!!!!
I know....I know.....layer feed it for laying ducks(and can be given to drakes), but my ducks food is getting low and I am about to have to make another run to TSC to by some feed. My ducks are about to be 4 months old so....should I go ahead and buy layer feed to be giving them some extra calcium or should I just keep using grower/finisher until they start to lay? I don't want to buy a big bag of grower/finisher and them just waste it if my girls start to lay. What are your thoughts? I feed Dumor Grower/finisher, unmediated, chicken food(It is for ducks too...says it on the back of the bag). Thanks for the help!!! Here is a link of the food I buy.
https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/p...WJvH0_1FhtAXQdV-Fc3R2yHLLUGd4yThoC2eEQAvD_BwE

 

[TSOWOATNKC]

I give oyster free choice and use an all Flock. I do that because I read that male birds don’t do so well with too much calcium.

 

[happy duck]

So should I find an all flock feed and feed oyster shell?

 

[TSOWOATNKC]

Do you have drakes?

 

[happy duck]

Do you have drakes?

Yes I have one.

 

[TSOWOATNKC]

It’s really your choice. Too much calcium is very hard on the kidneys. It certainly wouldn’t kill your drake, but it isn’t necessarily healthiest either. It would also depend upon if the feed was fed alone or with other things with less calcium or even something that depleted calcium like spinach.

 

[happy duck]

My drake loves spinach so I could always give him some!

 

[TSOWOATNKC]

Well I should preface that spinach doesn’t actually deplete calcium, but the calcium in it is negated by the oxalic acid in it rendering it essentially calcium free. I’ve seen people say spinach kills calcium, but in reality it doesn’t kill calcium, it just doesn’t have any nutritionally speaking because of the oxalic acid. If you consume something containing calcium with spinach you still get the calcium from that other food, but not from the spinach. If I were in your situation with only 1, I would feed that drake a special treat of spinach before layer feed, and give your girls another green or no greens whatsoever.

 

[TSOWOATNKC]

Ultimately I prefer all flock with oyster because I’m of the opinion that animals generally eat what they need nutritionally speaking. So if they need more calcium, they’ll eat oyster; if they don’t need it they won’t. Speaking as someone that has had kidney stones from too much calcium; I wouldn’t wish that kind of kidney trouble on friend, foe, or fowl. I’ve given birth 8 times, and I’d give birth again tomorrow rather than pass a kidney stone. The resulting stone isn’t nearly as rewarding afterwards.

 

[happy duck]

Ultimately I prefer all flock with oyster because I’m of the opinion that animals generally eat what they need nutritionally speaking. So if they need more calcium, they’ll eat oyster; if they don’t need it they won’t. Speaking as someone that has had kidney stones from too much calcium; I wouldn’t wish that kind of kidney trouble on friend, foe, or fowl. I’ve given birth 8 times, and I’d give birth again tomorrow rather than pass a kidney stone. The resulting stone isn’t nearly as rewarding afterwards.

I will probably go on a all flock feed then and give them oyster shell(like you said). Unless someone has a better idea your idea fits just right! Is all flock more expensive tho?