Are all pellets this friable? Your experiences, please.

[superchemicalgirl]

Hi,
A few weeks ago I switched my babies from 22% protein Blue Seal crumbles to 20% protein Purina Flock Raiser Pellets. I have since purchased five 50 lb bags since then, all from the same place. I don't remember the first two bags being horrible (then again I can't remember what I had for dinner last night) but I know the last 3 bags have contained way more crumbled pellet dust than I would expect. So much so that I can't even fill my feeders - because after 3 days the bottom of the feeder is clogged with pellet dust. So I have to fill the feeder at most halfway full. When it clogs I then take the rest of the feed out and feed it "wet" - with added water so the chickens will eat it and it's not wasted.

I saw another post on here about Flock Raiser having meal worms in it and being dusty from that - this isn't the case here.

I was just wondering if anyone else had this problem with their brand of pellets, or if it's limited to Flock Raiser or just a bad lot of Flock Raiser? I stopped today and got a bag of 20% protein pellets from Blue Seal for comparison but I'm going to finish up this bag of Flock Raiser before opening the Blue Seal. Wanted your opinions.

Also once they are all laying I was planning on mixing Layena (or Blue Seal equivalent) with the Flock Raiser - anyone having this problem with the layer pellets?

Thanks.

 

[OregonChickenGal]

I bought Albers one time that was like that. It was horrible. Like it was the bottom of the batch. I took it back for a refund, and got it.

 

[Tala]

Well my Layena pellets are usually really well "compressed" not dusy, and long pellets, when I get the Dumor pellets they are always more broken up. Seems kinda hit or miss to me.

 

[woodmort]

I generally buy Milky Way layer pellets--local feed mill--and have had mixed results. I often think it is how they are handled between filling the bags and your emptying them. If they're tossed around a lot the pellets break up. Chickens don't seem to mind but one of the reasons I buy pellets is so they are strewn all over so I'm not particularly happy about it.

 

[Sunny Side Up]

I'd call Purina. They have a very responsive customer service. They can check the mill where those pellets were made, and investigate that particular lot. I've never used Flock Raiser pellets, but use pelleted layer feed, both the Layena and the Country Acres. I've not had any that seem like what you're describing. It could just be a crumbly batch.

 

[superchemicalgirl]

I emailed Purina with the lot numbers of the 3 bags so hopefully if there is a problem at the mill they can look into it. I have a ton of Purina 5$ off 2 bags coupons that I'd really like to use. Don't worry, if Purina says that dust is baseline for their food and the Blue Seal is better, I'll give the coupons away on here.

 

[superchemicalgirl]

I got fed up with the Flockraiser clogging my feeder and opened the Blue Seal that I bought. WHAT A DIFFERENCE!

I contacted Purina with the lot numbers and got a generic message stating a representative would contact me within 2 days. It's been longer than that so I'm not sure what's going on. I'm guessing it's a bad lot as some other people haven't noticed the same issue. The lots I had were hard to read on the bag (smeared) but appear to be JUN21 GNN1 and MAY05 GNY1 so beware.

I'm not trying to make Purina out to be bad, just wanted to show everyone the comparison. Both samples were from open bags about halfway used up (not even close to the bottom of the bag). I just reached in and grabbed a bit off the top in both bags.

Flockraiser:

Blue Seal:

 

[PunkinPeep]

Wow! That's very crumbly. I use Flock Raiser, and i have not had that problem.

 

[cybercat]

Purnia products are not the best. I used to live up the road from one of their plants. There bags get alot of handling at the mill way before they go out to be shipped. Which is one reason you see so much crumbles in the pellets. Older food looses its cohesion. The weather that the food is store in too plays a major part. Most shipping docks are open not enclosed wharehouses. Hubby in the business so I know.

 

[zazouse]

I feed flock raiser in tubs and trays so even though we get some dust they still eat every last bit of it and i go threw 100 pounds a day.

I like the broken down crumbs for feeding baby chicks they handle it alot better than big crumbs.