Which of these layer feeds should I choose?

[Brizi]

Okay. The recommendation for hens that aren't laying is the 1% ish used in Grower and All-Flock formulas.
If you offer (palatable) calcium on the side, the laying gals will take it as they need it and the ones who don't will leave it alone.

Dang, I guess I'd have to do that then. In your experience, is it true that hens somehow know how much calcium they need and that they will eat exactly what they need? That's something I've been worried about. I'm used to animals that will eat selectively (hamsters, mice, rats) so I prefer to use a single all-encompassing diet to make sure they're getting the right nutrition. I suppose I can't do that in this case though, at least not once my first few girls are older.

 

[SourRoses]

Dang, I guess I'd have to do that then. In your experience, is it true that hens somehow know how much calcium they need and that they will eat exactly what they need? That's something I've been worried about. I'm used to animals that will eat selectively (hamsters, mice, rats) so I prefer to use a single all-encompassing diet to make sure they're getting the right nutrition. I suppose I can't do that in this case though, at least not once my first few girls are older.

Yes, most keepers on this forum use an All Flock type feed with Oyster shell on the side, that's the healthiest system. Too much calcium builds up in their bodies over time and can cause problems / premature death.
It depends on your area whether you can find real-deal Oyster Shell. That's the best and hens love it. The back of the bag will tell if it's actually Oyster shell or lime rock formed into overly large rough pebbles the girls hate.
I have a couple older but still laying ladies who were too stubborn to eat enough of the fake stuff, that's why I started offering some Layer on the side (in a rubber pan). Everyone who doesn't need it avoids it and the old ladies eggs look better. If I could find real Oyster... *sigh*.
You can of course, also feed baked & hammered eggshells back to them. But that's not enough alone since bodies also use calcium.

 

[Brizi]

Yes, most keepers on this forum use an All Flock type feed with Oyster shell on the side, that's the healthiest system. Too much calcium builds up in their bodies over time and can cause problems / premature death.
It depends on your area whether you can find real-deal Oyster Shell. That's the best and hens love it. The back of the bag will tell if it's actually Oyster shell or lime rock formed into overly large rough pebbles the girls hate.
I have a couple older but still laying ladies who were too stubborn to eat enough of the fake stuff, that's why I started offering some Layer on the side (in a rubber pan). Everyone who doesn't need it avoids it and the old ladies eggs look better. If I could find real Oyster... *sigh*.
You can of course, also feed baked & hammered eggshells back to them. But that's not enough alone since bodies also use calcium.

Thanks so much! I think I'll go with the oyster shell plus Kalmbach Flock Maker. And hey, that means we can have a rooster eventually without issue too!

I see a few different oyster shell brands at Tractor Supply, but most say "Oyster Shell and Coral Calcium." I can't find any that just say "Oyster Shell." Though none of them mention lime, so that's good.

 

[SourRoses]

Thanks so much! I think I'll go with the oyster shell plus Kalmbach Flock Maker. And hey, that means we can have a rooster eventually without issue too!

I see a few different oyster shell brands at Tractor Supply, but most say "Oyster Shell and Coral Calcium." I can't find any that just say "Oyster Shell." Though none of them mention lime, so that's good.

Happy to help!
Those TSC offerings are all fake. The "Coral Calcium" is limestone. Most don't have any Oyster in there
Some brands with a high price tag available online at Amzn and the like used to be real and highly recommended, but they've changed to "mixed seashells" which are razed from beaches.

 

[Brizi]

Happy to help!
Those TSC offerings are all fake. The "Coral Calcium" is limestone. Most don't have any Oyster in there
Some brands with a high price tag available online at Amzn and the like used to be real and highly recommended, but they've changed to "mixed seashells" which are razed from beaches.

What the frik! That's so dumb! The best I've found so far is oyster shells from Scratch & Peck, but it's $20 for 4 lbs. I mean, I can afford it, but damn. Hopefully, 4-10 hens won't consume too much of it each month. I'll keep looking to see if there are any other good options.

Edit: It looks like Small Pet Select sells 100% oyster shell, $15 for 5 lbs. You have to make sure you get the "Premium Flaked Oyster Shell" though because the other variety that they sell is not 100% oyster shell.

 

[Cindy in PA]

It'd have to be online from Chewy or Petco. It's $32 for 50 lbs on there. Sadly, no store around here sells it. I may be able to find somewhere that sells it in a bigger city nearby, and I could stock up those few times a year that I go. Either way, I only have 4 girls right now and our max is 10 girls, so it wouldn't be so bad spending a little bit extra. I'm fine with $0.75/lb or less, it's when it gets over $1.00/lb that it's got to be really good to justify the cost difference.

If your store sells Kalmbach, they should be able to order just a bag or two of what you want. My feed store will order the Full Plume, but they don't carry it. The price should be around $22 here in PA. I love the mini pellets.

 

[Brizi]

If your store sells Kalmbach, they should be able to order just a bag or two of what you want. My feed store will order the Full Plume, but they don't carry it. The price should be around $22 here in PA. I love the mini pellets.

My local store sells the Kalmbach Henhouse Reserve, and they did say they can order me what I want. I neglected to ask how much it'd be.

The good news is that the same store sells a really similar feed from Tucker Milling. It's $20 for 50 lbs. It's the Tucker Milling Show Flock Developer. The main differences between it and the Kalmbach Flock Maker is that it has 4% fat (0.8% more than the Kalmbach), 1.20% Lysine (0.2% more than the Kalmbach), and 4% fiber (1% less than the Kalmbach). Even the ingredients are super close. So I'll just price them out and use what's cheaper, I suppose.

All y'alls feedback has really helped, so I appreciate it a ton!