Raising calcium levels for ducks?

[DuckWhisperer06]

I have a Pekin who is roughly 30 weeks old, and started laying 3-4 weeks ago. Our chickens started laying around the same time she did and I feed them all the same food(Ranch Pro layer crumbles I believe, we get most of our food from Atwood’s). I have seen signs of extra calcium on chicken eggs and signs of low calcium in some of the duck eggs.

My main questions are:

1.) How can I lower the calcium level or intake with my chickens?

2.) Can I give my duck anything that will raise her calcium level? If so, what and how would I give it to her? I’ve seen some people who just use a hanging feeder to put calcium supplements in but how would I keep the chickens from eating them if they don’t need any(or will they decide that on their own?)?

3.) Should I be giving the ducks different food than the chickens? Will that help sort things out so I don’t have to use calcium supplements?

4.) Can I give my duck oyster shells? I’ve heard that is a good supplement but I’m not sure if it can be used for ducks.

Thanks,
DuckWhisperer06

 

[R2elk]

I have a Pekin who is roughly 30 weeks old, and started laying 3-4 weeks ago. Our chickens started laying around the same time she did and I feed them all the same food(Ranch Pro layer crumbles I believe, we get most of our food from Atwood’s). I have seen signs of extra calcium on chicken eggs and signs of low calcium in some of the duck eggs.

My main questions are:

1.) How can I lower the calcium level or intake with my chickens?

2.) Can I give my duck anything that will raise her calcium level? If so, what and how would I give it to her? I’ve seen some people who just use a hanging feeder to put calcium supplements in but how would I keep the chickens from eating them if they don’t need any(or will they decide that on their own?)?

3.) Should I be giving the ducks different food than the chickens? Will that help sort things out so I don’t have to use calcium supplements?

4.) Can I give my duck oyster shells? I’ve heard that is a good supplement but I’m not sure if it can be used for ducks.

Thanks,
DuckWhisperer06

Your ducks will be better with a quality all flock feed with 20% protein as it should provide the niacin and other nutrients they require that aren't found in chicken feed. You can feed that same all flock feed to your chickens also. Since the all flock feed usually only contains about 1% Calcium, you will need to provide free choice oyster shell to both the ducks and chickens.

 

[DuckWhisperer06]

Ok that helps a lot.

Would I give the oyster shells to them in a hanging feeder?

 

[R2elk]

Ok that helps a lot.

Would I give the oyster shells to them in a hanging feeder?

Many people provide free choice oyster shell in a bowl. I use a PVC feeder that consists of a 4" pvc pipe glued into a 4" pvc wye that is sealed on the bottom. It doesn't have to be 4", that is what i use because I had a lot of them laying around.

 

[DuckWhisperer06]

Great, thank you so much