Layer mash for mature ducks (hens and drakes)?

[DuckLady]

Oyster shell should look like flaked grey shell. It is very different in appearance than grit.

You can ask for Double Duty or Triple Duty.
That's what I used when I was heavy into rescue and rehab and had males separated from females.
Now everyone just gets layer pellets with a separate feeder for oyster shell for use as needed.

 

[blondiebee181]

Our local mill had never heard of "flock raiser" so based on the description of what I needed it for, just gave me more "grower" - is there a difference?

I haven't had much luck supplementing with oyster shell. Does it take them a while and some trial and error to know whether they need it? It looks almost the same as the grit to me.
When I had it in a separate dish, the boys were interested in it and NOT the girls, who just stomped through it and dumped it. So I've sprinkled a little on top of the food a few times as my girls approach laying age. Just hoping that if the boys don't pick around it, the small amount won't be enough to cause any problems.

If they aren't of laying age yet, they will have little interest in it. Yes it looks like grit, but it's all calcium and they need it if you don't have layer feed. Sprinkling it in with the food is how I got my girls used to it and then wen they all started to lay, I included a seperate hanging dish next to the food. Chickens are very curious about new things and will eventually check it out. Grower is probably fine, they can be on it their whole life I think...raiser and starter just usually have more protein which is what young birds need....someone correct me if I'm off here...

 

[jtbrown]

Thanks to all. I think grower for right now fits my duck bill . . . Bad humor, I need to sleep!

My ducks eat it well, and the chickens are partially molting, so the extra protein is helpful to them, I assume. Thanks again, for all the insight and advice.

 

[blondiebee181]

Thanks to all. I think grower for right now fits my duck bill . . . Bad humor, I need to sleep!
My ducks eat it well, and the chickens are partially molting, so the extra protein is helpful to them, I assume. Thanks again, for all the insight and advice.

Sounds like a safe plan....and I thought it was punny

 

[jdywntr]

I'm going to do my usual and quote from Storey's Guide to Raising Ducks by Dave Holderread

"Warning: Because of the high calcium levels (2.5%-3.5%) of laying feeds, they should never be used for growing birds. More than 1.5 % calcium in the diet of nonlaying birds can cause permanent damage to organs and the skeleton, or even death. When possible (and this can be difficult), drakes should not consume laying feed continuously during the laying season. At the conclusion of the laying season, ducks should be switched to a maintenance feed containing 0.60 to 1 percent calcium."

This is from the 2001 edition (there is a newer edition now) pg 221


I was very adamant about not feeding layer to my drakes in the past. But I only had 2 feed stores and the price was virtually identical. Now, I can get feed for so much less (almost half the price) at the local store so I am considering it. I also drive an old vehicle and don't get good gas mileage so I use just over 2 gallons of gas to get to TSC as opposed to less than 1 gallon to the local place.

Currently, everyone is on Flock Raiser as the local place only has medicated starter.

I am new to my area and the local store thought I was odd because I wasn't going to just feed my ducks cracked corn.

 

[jak2002003]

I feed layer pellets to all my chickens, roosters, duck and cage birds (as well as their seed).

I have been doing this for several years and have had NO problems with drakes, roosters or chicks getting organ damage or sick from it.

Young chicks and ducklings are fed chick starter in a food dish under a basket. the young birds can all get to it, but the bigger adults can not fit through the bars of the cage to eat the food. But the chicks and duckling also will steal the layer pellets form the mail pen, and never suffered any problems from it.

My ducks free range, and the drakes love to eat snails, shell and all. I am sure the snail shells have a lot of calcium too, so even in nature the drakes eat lots of calcium.