best brand of chicken feed?

[Lotsapaints]

Quote:
When I sprout grain I just add a few cans of oats (or grain) in a bucket and add *apple juice* to cover the oats.
After 3 or 4 days I drain and top there feed with it...

Note:
* Apple Juice* Raw or Organic is perfused.
I like apple juice better than plain water. Apple juice will add vitamin C and help with the sprouting/ fermenting process.
You may have to refill the bucket with apple juice after a day or two. Oats (grain) will soak a bit of it up...

If you like you could add a Vitamin mix like Rooster Booster Poultry Cell to the drained sprouted/ fermented mix at.
With the Rooster Booster you add 1 to 3 cc per bird per day.
Rooster Booster adds:
Copper
Cobalt
Magnesium
Manganese
Zinc
Selenium
Vitamin A
Vitamin D-3
Vitamin E
Vitamin B-12
Menadione (Vitamin K-3)
Riboflavin (Vitamin B-2)
Pyridoxine (Vitamin B-6)
Folic Acid
d-Panthothenic Acid
Niacinamide
Thiamine (Vitamin B-1)
Alanine
Arginine
Aspartic Acid
Cystine
Glutamic Acid
Glycine
Histidine
Isoleucine
Lysine
Methionine
Phenyla Lanine
Proline
Serine
Threonine
Tryptophan
Tyrosine
Valine

Chris

I don't want anymore ants than I already have wandering around looking for sweet stuff or the bees.....and I would be rinsing that expensive apple juice out a 5 gallon bucket of sprouts would be pretty stinky without a rinse and for me the idea is to not add Rooster Booster by sprouting I'm getting more good stuff......I don't like to supplement my show horses with extra either everyone is different. I want fresh wholesome local feed grown well then I don't need many supplements....

 

[tulsabyc]

My local feed store sells Tindle Poultry feed. It's around $6 for 25 lbs, or $11 for 50#. I am new, so I am not sure of the quality of the brand, and interestingly, I couldn't find much info on it on the interwebs...

 

[Mogli]

has anyone heard of DUMOR brand of feed thats what i feed my birds ever since i got them i buy the crumbles it comes in pellets too i get it a tractor supply company for 50lbs its like 11 or 12 bucks i guess its a good brand i like it i get alota eggs with that brand of feed

 

[Jx2inNC]

It probably depends what one's goals are with the feed as to what could be considered the best.

For simply livelihood, I think a lot of your generic foods are going to be at least halfway decent. You may have to add some extra ingredients depending on the food, but those will likely do decent. Even with scratch, grit, and oyster shells on top of scraps and such, chickens can do fine.

If the purpose of the food is for the appearance of the chickens, it is probably as much or more about the supplements they get, like poultry finisher and conditioner, etc. (Corn is probably avoidable, for white chickens particularly, from what I've seen.)

For egg-laying production, the generic brands are likely never going to be the absolute "best". Same way the cattle dairy business has been for years: two farms just miles apart can see better high output from differently rationed foods, and so on. Will recreational owners see a noticeable difference? Who knows, I'd guess likely on most occasions unless they are counting the detailed numbers of it all. (Numbers-wise, the name of the game is highest output for the lowest amount of feed.)

In sum, most people are going to be just fine with the majority of your typical feeds, give or take needed supplements. It is hard to define "the best" when you really look at things.

 

[elmo]

I use Countryside Naturals. It's organic and soy free. I just wish I lived closer because the shipping is very expensive.

 

[tommboy1973]

Quote:
Well said!!

 

[Jessiewoodard57]

We use a local farm feed store that mixes it fresh .....A 50# bag of laying mash is 9 dollars.

 

[junebug7334]

I am also switching back to Country Side Natural. The purina is crap. Full of soy, etc. I live pretty close to Fishersville Va so we are fortunate!

 

[Urbanfarmerkc]

I switched to Purena after I read Omnivore's Dilemma and learned that other feeds were using animal bloods and parts from the nasty disgusting cattle industry. It was right at the time that there was a big recall because people were getting sick eating the beef.

I learned later that some feed companies were using baby chicks that had been ground up at hatcheries in their feed.

I didn't have time to research which companies were doing what so I just switched to a company that used only plants. That being said, I range my chickens and they eat bugs, worms and such as that all day. During the winter it is more of a problem but you can simply raise worms and you can supplement your hen's diet that way.

I don't want to take over this post but I'd be interested in how folks supplement. I think I'll put that post up. Please respond there.

Dave

 

[elmo]

Quote:
You're so lucky! I pay as much for shipping as I do for the feed. Darn. But the feed is so good, I'm willing to pay.