should "elderly" duckhens still have a feed with calcium (mazuri breeder)

[Jenbirdee]

is it bad for ducks over 7 yrs old to have mazuri breeder
should i get the mazuri maintenance

 

[NatJ]

is it bad for ducks over 7 yrs old to have mazuri breeder
should i get the mazuri maintenance

Are they laying eggs regularly? When I look up the nutrition information, I find that the breeder has much more calcium than the maintenance food. So the "breeder" would only be appropriate if they are laying eggs regularly.

If you want higher protein (like in the breeder feed), you could mix some of the maintenance feed with some of Mazuri's waterfowl starter. That would raise the protein without raising the calcium.

Mazuri's own website gives this advice:
https://mazuri.com/blogs/education-and-nutrition/duck-duck-goose-four-tips-for-raising-waterfowl
"For mature, fully feathered waterfowl that are 6 months or older, choose Mazuri® Waterfowl Maintenance Diet."
"During the spring breeding season, feed Mazuri® Waterfowl Breeder Diet to your flock."

 

[Jenbirdee]

Are they laying eggs regularly? When I look up the nutrition information, I find that the breeder has much more calcium than the maintenance food. So the "breeder" would only be appropriate if they are laying eggs regularly.

If you want higher protein (like in the breeder feed), you could mix some of the maintenance feed with some of Mazuri's waterfowl starter. That would raise the protein without raising the calcium.

Mazuri's own website gives this advice:
https://mazuri.com/blogs/education-and-nutrition/duck-duck-goose-four-tips-for-raising-waterfowl
"For mature, fully feathered waterfowl that are 6 months or older, choose Mazuri® Waterfowl Maintenance Diet."
"During the spring breeding season, feed Mazuri® Waterfowl Breeder Diet to your flock."

oh wow thank you so much.
ive been using the maintenance for years
but recently getting some soft shells
even though they have crushed AND flaked oyster shells always avail
Ive had a couple older gals act eggbound and gave them calcium gluconate several times this past year
just started thinking that perhaps i was supposed to have been using the breeder
thx

 

[Jenbirdee]

oh and btw my 4 youngest ducks lay regular
my 3 that are 3-4 yrs old lay regularly too
my 6 old ladies still lay but only occasionnally
i know because every now and then i get something like 9 eggs

 

[NatJ]

ive been using the maintenance for years
but recently getting some soft shells
even though they have crushed AND flaked oyster shells always avail
Ive had a couple older gals act eggbound and gave them calcium gluconate several times this past year
just started thinking that perhaps i was supposed to have been using the breeder
thx

Using the breeder feed would force them to get the higher calcium level. That could be good or bad, depending on whether they need that much calcium.

Soft shells can be caused by them not eating enough calcium, or they can be caused by something wrong in the bird's body (not absorbing the calcium correctly, or not properly using the calcium to actually make shell.) I don't know how to tell which is going on with your birds.

From what you say, I think that what you have been doing is probably fine, especially since you are keeping an eye out for problems and making sure they get more calcium if they seem to particularly need it.

If you think the whole flock needs more calcium, you could take some dust from the bottom of the oyster shell bag, put it with some feed, and add water so it all sticks together in a mush. If they like to eat the mush, they will get the calcium too. (I know that trick works with chickens, who seem to love wet feed as a treat, but I don't know for sure if ducks like it that way.)

 

[Jenbirdee]

Using the breeder feed would force them to get the higher calcium level. That could be good or bad, depending on whether they need that much calcium.

Soft shells can be caused by them not eating enough calcium, or they can be caused by something wrong in the bird's body (not absorbing the calcium correctly, or not properly using the calcium to actually make shell.) I don't know how to tell which is going on with your birds.

From what you say, I think that what you have been doing is probably fine, especially since you are keeping an eye out for problems and making sure they get more calcium if they seem to particularly need it.

If you think the whole flock needs more calcium, you could take some dust from the bottom of the oyster shell bag, put it with some feed, and add water so it all sticks together in a mush. If they like to eat the mush, they will get the calcium too. (I know that trick works with chickens, who seem to love wet feed as a treat, but I don't know for sure if ducks like it that way.)

Ok great idea! they do like mash I make it for them once or twice a week and add nutriional yeast to it so now Ill add shell powder too THX!