Oyster shell or ground fish for laying duck.

[PaulX]

Hello,

So my pekin girl will be laying soon, these past few days she's been making submissive mating posture to me, which I read means she's very close to laying. (she'll be 5 months in early May)

I read that many of you supplement oyster shell grit free choice for laying ducks to take as they need.
I'm thinking of doing the same, except:

1. I don't think they sell oyster shell grit around here. Instead there's crushed mixed-shell (of many mollusks) available. That should be interchangeable with oyster shell for the purpose of supplementing calcium. The thing is, I'm not sure how finely or coarsely crushed the thing should be. I can get the super fine, flour-like type, or the more coarsely ground one (which I'm still not sure how fine it is). Can you post a photo of the oyster shell you use? Not the bag, but the shell itself, with something next to it for size reference.

2. Since my girl will be producing eggs, shouldn't she need some other extra nutrient? I'm thinking particularly protein. I'm currently feeding my girls what should be equivalent to your 'grower feed', the type you feed to ducklings or 3 weeks old or so up to laying age. I don't have access to layer feed, plus my runner girls is still some way from laying age so layer feed would be bad for them. Anyway, since I think my girl should need protein as well, would the ground fish (with bones) be a more suitable option for supplementing the diet than oyster shell? I'm thinking since fish should be in the natural diet of wild ducks, the extra calcium shouldn't hurt the younger girls too badly.

In any case please post a photo of your oyster shell grit, and advise me what I should do.

Thanks!

 

[casportpony]

Where do you live?

If you live where you can get Purina, Manna Pro, or Dumor, see if they can order it for you.


This is the brand I use:

and this is what it looks like:

 

[Cayuga momma]

Ground up fish will probably give their eggs a strong fish taste to it.
Here is pics of my oyster shell.

You can also bake and crush egg shells.

 

[The Dapper Duck]

Ground up fish will probably give their eggs a strong fish taste to it.

When I was keeping laying chickens and shipments of feed haulted for long periods of time, I would feed them boiled reef fish and never noticed a fishy flavor from the eggs. Their coop on the other hand... yikes.

I'm not sure about the bones though. Boiling the ground fish might soften them a little, though it's not pleasant boiling just straight up fish.

 

[Mybackyardpeepers]

I am still very new to this whole chicken mommy thing so I have a question relating to this post. My chicks are 7 weeks and are on chick grit. When can or should I start crushed oyster?

 

[Cayuga momma]

I am still very new to this whole chicken mommy thing so I have a question relating to this post. My chicks are 7 weeks and are on chick grit. When can or should I start crushed oyster?

When they start laying. Most say to start at 18 weeks for chicks.

 

[Kkrista123]

I use DuMor and it is the same size as @Cayuga momma's !!

 

[Mybackyardpeepers]

When they start laying. Most say to start at 18 weeks for chicks.

Great thank you!

 

[DuckyDonna]

I use DuMor and it is the same size as @Cayuga momma's !!

me too! If I were you I would also get some calcium gluconate for those special times when the duck gets egg bound and you're panicking not know what to do. You can get it from Tractor Supply or online.

 

[PaulX]

Thanks guys, now I know I should get the coarsely crushed shells.
I'll also look into calcium gluconate. I heard the highest risk of getting egg-bound is when the duck just started laying.