best brand of chicken feed?

[The Yakima Kid]

Most of the small and larger local mills use a concentrate and local grains (if available) when mixing there feeds.
It's more simpler and cheaper for them to do so. I don't know what brand your using but there is a good chance that they use a mixer also.

I use King from L. A. Hearne Company in King City. They do use a vitamin pre-mix and they do add nutrients that are in short supply in the feedstuffs, but they mix and manufacture their own products. I am currently using their soy and corn free non-GMO feed.

A number of smaller companies, including Scratch and Peck also source their own feed, possibly with the admixture of a small amount of pre-mix solution.

But you're right, and if it concerns you, see if they use a concentrate. I believe almost all, if not all, feed manufacturers do add vitamin, mineral, and amino acid balancers to their feeds.

 

[The Yakima Kid]

There's no reason to think that something mass produced is low quality - and in my experience, large companies tend to have better quality control departments than smaller ones.

What criteria are you using to say that Purina is low quality feed?

I'm with you. Larger companies tend to have real quality control departments and real animal nutritionists on staff. I purchase King brand because they are large enough to have an animal nutritionist and a laboratory. Many of the smaller mills use stock formulas, and incoming ingredients may not be tested for nutrient variation.

 

[jasonvong]

I may go with purina

 

[The Yakima Kid]

I may go with purina

I used it for years with no problems.

 

[jasonvong]

Only using Scratch and Peck feeds right now. Doing great with it, but as it is a whole grain and mash feed, it requires some liquid to get the hens to eat the fines. I like it because it is certified non-GMO.

How much a bag corn soy free oganic non gmo you pay and where you get it?

 

[jasonvong]

I used it for years with no problems.

I using ace hi feeds rite now I may go get some purina

 

[flickerloo]

How much a bag corn soy free oganic non gmo you pay and where you get it?

I think S&P is $28 for a 40 lb sack of corn-free, soy-free 18% layer. It's pricey, but it's worth it. I get it at the local farmers co-op here.

 

[Melnurse]

I've had to switch feeds for my 8 month old hens (only four bends) who have been laying like clockwork (aside from the EE who decided four weeks ago to not give me another egg - she's fine, healthy, happy, eating, just no eggs from her at all). But I find that the person I purchased my feed from before is just not a nice guy, so I went somewhere else for organic feed. This is a local guy (I love to support the small local shops) and the feed is NatureSmart, organic layer complete 16 crumbles.

I'm fermenting a few cups of it to get them used to it, and mixed a small amount with the original feed they're used to before switching them over fully. So far so good (but we're only on day 1).

Anyone have anything good/bad to say about this manufacturer or name brand?

Thanks,
Mel

 

[evemfoster]

i buy blueseal brand its only 10.75 for a 50lb bag of layer mash in my area. i tryed layena mash from purina mills my birds didnt like it and it was 15.00 a bag.

Your prices are a wonder I haven't seen prices so low in 25 years. The only feed i can get locally is purina. And the price jumps up every time i buy it. Last bag was 26.95 for a 50 lb. bag. If i make a 45 mile round trip i can get a 40 pound bag of nutrena for 21.98 not a better price.

 

[CrazyTalk]

evemfoster - I think your prices are the exception here, not his. His are cheap, but pretty much everything around me is $11-$15 for 50lbs.

Southern States has their layer feed for 11.50, 13.00 for their starter, and 15 for their meat bird - Tractor Supply is about $13-14 for Layena, similar for the Purina Start/Grow, and a little higher for meat. I'd have a hard time justifying the chickens at $25-30 a bag of food.