16% vs 20% vs 28% feed

[Dirty_South_Chickens]

I'm going from 16% Layena pellets to a feed store 20% laying pellets thinking that it should be better and $11 vs. $18 at TSC for 50lbs. bags the price is right too. While I was there today a worker there told me they also carry 28% all flock and not sure what the best feed would be. I switched to the laying feed at Atwoods which is 15% for awhile and egg production came to a crawl so I went back to Layena. I got no problem with the Layena other than the price and really dont think that 1% can make a big difference. Also will it affect the yolk color? Any comments?

 

[Fred's Hens]

Read the tag. If animal protein is one of the first 3 or 4 ingredients, you'll probably like your new 20% feed. 28% is usually intended for Game Bird feed and is useful in a feeding program that includes a hefty dose of whole/cracked grains. Such grains are typically only 10% protein, so if fed 50-50 with the Game Bird at 28%, you'd average around 18% which is fine for layers.

There sure are a lot of different ways to go on feed. Trying different approaches, with an intentional sense of discovery is fine. Observe their feather appearance, egg production and over all sense of well being. After one has fed a certain feeding program for two or three weeks, it is time to judge the performance. Good luck with your birds.

 

[Dirty_South_Chickens]

Thanks for the info and happy holidays

 

[RoostersCrow HensDeliver!]

If you are looking to darken the yolk color, you can let your birds have access to grass or alfalfa hay. Green plants darken the yolk, that is why most of the egg brands in the grocery store have pathetic pale yolks, those hens never see a real plant

 

[Dirty_South_Chickens]

I checked the bag and the first ingredient is crude protein @ 20%...not sure if that is the same as animal protein.

 

[Chris09]

I checked the bag and the first ingredient is crude protein @ 20%...not sure if that is the same as animal protein.

On the feed tag you should have a Guaranteed Analysis and that is where you will find;
Crude Protein,
Lysine
Methioine,
Crude Fat,
Crude Fiber,
Calcium (Max)
Calcium (Min)
Phosphorus
Salt (Max)
Salt (Min)

The Ingredient list will have a list of the Feedstuff that makes up the feed that you are using. You should see "stuff" like;
Possessed Grain By-Products, Grain Products, Plant Protein Products, Animal Proteins etc.

*Note --

Plant protein products - represents one or more of 41 different feedstuffs including: various forms of
soybeans, cottonseed, yeast and other plant meals.
Grain products – represents any of the normal forms (whole, cracked, ground, etc.) of several grain
products such as corn, oats, barley, etc.
Forage products – represents inclusion of one or more of several different forages including alfalfa,
coastal Bermuda, lespedeza, etc..
Roughage products – represents inclusion of one or more high roughage feedstuffs such as various types
of hulls and pulps (cottonseed hulls, beet pulp, etc.).
Processed grain by-products – as the name implies, includes over 40 by-products of grain processing
including wheat middlings, brewers dried grains, corn gluten feed, etc.
Molasses products - includes various forms of cane, citrus and beet molasses.
Animal protein products – includes various forms of animal by-products. The FDA prohibits use of
mammalian protein sources in ruminant feeds, therefore, most feed manufacturers will not use this
collective term on their label. Some approved animal protein products for ruminants include hydrolyzed
poultry feathers, blood meal, fish meal, whey, dried milk, etc.




Chris

 

[Fred's Hens]

Yeeeeup.

Here's a feed bag tag from of our local mills. You can see under ingredients, the 4th item is animal by-products. Animal source protein.





Another mill I use less frequently has the words, "pork products" if I remember correctly.

 

[aoxa]

Our feed mills do not list ingredients. You have to ask for them.

 

[Chris09]

Our feed mills do not list ingredients. You have to ask for them.

Canada may different than the U.S.. I believe that in the U.S. they have to list the Ingredients by law.

Chris

 

[Fred's Hens]

While I cannot scan a whole bag of feed, LOL, as a big ol' bag will not fit onto my little flatbed scanner, I also buy Prince Grain Feeds.

The Prince Gamebird is a bit spendy, but the content is excellent. Pork again listed, IIRC as the third ingredient. Like Prince Feeds for GameBird products, both starter and grower. I find it is a concentrated, "packed" kind of feed and the birds do not have to gobble up pounds and pounds of it to stop eating. It goes a long way. This is my observation. You feed less.

I also like a locally distributed feed from Armada Grains. The Chick Starter has pork/animal products listed as the 4th ingredient. The chicks grow and feather in better on this product than they do with a vegetarian product. Again, just my observational viewpoint. I believe I'm evaluating objectively.