⠀ need help knowing what to feed hens

[Shaf9]

I have a few black sex link hens that are about 6 months and no eggs yet. I was wondering what to switch to now? i have a person selling 16% layer pellet with oyster shell and i know purina layena is recommended but i dont see oyster shell as a ingredient. can anyone explain whats best and why?

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

I have a few black sex link hens that are about 6 months and no eggs yet. I was wondering what to switch to now? i have a person selling 16% layer pellet with oyster shell and i know purina layena is recommended but i dont see oyster shell as a ingredient. can anyone explain whats best and why?

Layena has appropriate calcium content to support laying hens - it isn't about having "oyster shell" in the ingredients, but seeing a 4% (give or take) calcium content in the nutritional breakdown. What is "best" is relative - and a matter of what you want to do. There are several options - you can feed a layer ration and either provide oyster shell or not (layer ration is designed to be complete as is and *should* provide sufficient calcium, but it never hurts to provide the option to take in additional calcium if a hen's body tells her she needs it) - or you can feed a grower type ration and provide oyster shell to make up for the insufficiency of calcium in that ration. Option #1 is best for a flock of all laying birds, no males and no females that are under 18 weeks of age or not laying due to being too old, in molt or brooding. If you will have a mixed flock (gender, age, laying status) then option #2 is a simple way to provide what everyone needs without inadvertently causing health damage to those birds not actively shelling and expelling eggs at any given time due to an overdose of calcium.

 

[Shaf9]

Layena has appropriate calcium content to support laying hens - it isn't about having "oyster shell" in the ingredients, but seeing a 4% (give or take) calcium content in the nutritional breakdown.  What is "best" is relative - and a matter of what you want to do.  There are several options - you can feed a layer ration and either provide oyster shell or not (layer ration is designed to be complete as is and *should* provide sufficient calcium, but it never hurts to provide the option to take in additional calcium if a hen's body tells her she needs it) - or you can feed a grower type ration and provide oyster shell to make up for the insufficiency of calcium in that ration.  Option #1 is best for a flock of all laying birds, no males and no females that are under 18 weeks of age or not laying due to being too old, in molt or brooding.  If you will have a mixed flock (gender, age, laying status) then option #2 is a simple way to provide what everyone needs without inadvertently causing health damage to those birds not actively shelling and expelling eggs at any given time due to an overdose of calcium.

Guess it's 16% layer feed with oyster shell. Don't really have a mixed flock to do option 2.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I always wait till I get the first egg if all birds are the same age before switching to layer feed.
Usually you'll see calcium carbonate as the ingredient providing calcium. Calcium carbonate is broken down by digestion into calcium ions and carbon ions. They are then recombined in the reproductive tract to build egg shells.
Oyster shell is 95% calcium carbonate with about 40% being free calcium. Most feeds will contain limestone for the calcium carbonate.