Yeah, I have found no feed is exactly perfect.
And I also am aware Purina is a sponsor here so I will avoid purina bashing.
One thing I dislike about them is their statement about 'Marigolds, for dark orange yolks' or some such thing, which is rediculous.
It is yet anout food coloring, however natural.
A hen free ranging rarely eats marigolds.
The other factoid is the 40# bag !
How cleverly......
Everyone here concerned with their feed not having everything needed for a hen's perfect health needs to also remember how much nourishment they can find while free ranging !
Like tarp strings (YUMMY!!!) and styrofoam ! (DELISH !!!)
There also the bugs and other crawlies.like Salamanders...frogs, baby snakes and small slugs !
YUM !!!
I do not worry too much about feed, except to buy what I can in the highest amount of vitamins & proteins, unless I have thin shell issues, and that is a calcium & PHOSPHOROUS issue, so I toss oyster shell at them or mix in their feed.
My grandmother & great grandmother both had a big working flock that contained all breeds and sustained their own numbers (from broody hens) and they ran loose all day, had a hen house, and were fed only scratch thrown out for them 2X a day.
other than that, they were on their own to find bugs & other ymmy stuff to eat.
Of course, this was way back before styrofoam was invented !!
We raise sweet meats squash every summer.
Most get between 15-20 pounds, and store well over the winter, and Einstein hacks one open every week or so & distributes a hunk (seeds and all) to each pen.
Helps make dark orange yolks !
Anyone want sweet meats seeds, give me a PM.
That sweet meat squash is a really great idea !!!!