Hiya - New Member

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dunnitrees

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Hiya,

We've recently picked up 4 new additions to our family, these are 2 x Runner, 1 x Khaki Campbell, 1 x Aylesbury all Ducks. They are currently 8 weeks old and have been moved outside from my children's play room to there new pen and night hut. There just starting to come off crumb and go onto growers pellets but just wondering about this grit.... I seem to fall into the usual where the ducks are starting to taste different things and I'm thinking its time to start offering them grit BUT I'm well a where that they are still too young for the oyster shell grit..... so what's the alternative?
 
Hi Dunnitrees and welcome to the forum. The correct alternative is Flint grit (sieved probably to remove the big bits) as too much soluble Calcium at their age could be problematic as you suggest. I am at a loss as to why it is so difficult to get this stuff in the UK as it is available everywhere here.
 
Hi, and welcome from me, too. Flint grit is readily available in the UK, you just have to know what to ask for. Sometimes so- called 'chicken grit' is actually fine gravel, like pea shingle, and this is OK but not so good as proper flint grit, which is sharper and thus more effective. Grit plus oyster shell is often sold as a convenient combination for chicken keepers, but the functions of the two components are quite different. As you know, flint grit aids digestion in the gizzard, whereas the oystershell dissolves in the gut and provides additional calcium for laying birds, which you are right to say isn't needed for your young ducklings. Chickens just pick out what they feel they need. If fed proper layers pellets, they shouldn't need extra calcium anyway.
At 8 weeks old I should think your ducklings could be offered ordinary grit, though if they're just fed on pellets and are confined at present I would think the need was minimal as pellets don't need grinding in the gizzard. You can obtain chick grit if worried, which I used for my quails as its finer. Sometimes this is sold as cage bird grit. But as I said I don't think this is necessary, you would be better to get them some proper Flint grit, free from oystershell.
 
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