Oster Shells and Ducks

[weebles&wobblesmom]

I have a question. I have 9 ducks (7 Pekins ( appears to be 1 female and 6 males) & 2 fawn runners (looks like 1 of each) ) and they live with my chickens. Someone, not sure if it's my duck or 1 of chcikens has started to lay eggs. I have found 2 so far, 1 per day, in a dog house that I have out in the run for them.

I am starting to switch them to layer feed ( the youngest are 19 weeks) and my question is, can ducks have Oster shell? I was going to get some for my chickens but since they eat with the ducks I don't want anything that will hurt the ducks.

Thanks

 

[GrannyCarol]

Oyster shell is fine. The girls will eat it as they need it and the boys will leave it alone. Definitely offer it to them free choice.

I hope you are prepared to deal with your extra male ducks though. They will fight and they will all try to breed the female duck and could hurt her or even kill her. They may try the chickens too and can hurt them even more. Male ducks are very randy, you shouldn't have more than one to about 4 or more females, or you need to separate the extra boys into a bachelor pen (I do that, they mostly get along fine, I don't keep a boy that won't get along with the other boys when separated).

 

[weebles&wobblesmom]

Thank you. Yeah I have heard about the males. Right now I have 1 that chases another 1 around (males). The only time I have problems with them is when I fill the pool. They fight. I have had to break them up. But I just have a small kids pool.

Its going to be hard but I think I'm going to get rid of my males. My husband doesn't really like them any way. He says they are just messy, plus he's worried about them when winter comes because they stay outside instead of going in the coop. I have seen them inside though and the weather is nice.

It's gonna break my heart to get rid of them, but it will be better for them too.