best brand of chicken feed?

[billydrums]

the best food is new country organics thay have a web site i feed my chicken that and thay love it it is all organic

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

I gather in Australia it is common to feed a concentrated pellet (with the protein, vitamins & minerals) along with a mixture of grains. So I gather there are lots of places you can buy the pellets and the grains. I know from experience that buying the loose grains here (in Oregon) can be both expensive and frustrating to even find.

For people in the Pacific Northwest, a little independent mill in Oregon called Union Point Custom Feeds that now makes a GMO-Free layer feed where the protein and minerals are in a pellet, and the grains are whole.

Here is a link to all their poultry feeds ... the one I'm describing is the Natural Environments (they have a similar product for ducks).

http://unionpoint.com/products/poultry-feeds/

I believe Union Point Custom Feeds can now sell to retail outlets. Or, it might be worth it to form a little buying group to buy their feed in bulk and split the costs.

I buy from Union Point, but have enough birds they make me an all-purpose custom feed formula that I can use for chicks, breeders, laying hens, and ducks ... which is also more economical than the Natural Environments feed, but it doesn't have loose whole grains, though I have to buy a ton at a time. I figure my birds get plenty of stuff to keep their gizzards well-exercised by foraging and by eating the little bit of scratch I scatter around for them (I just use wheat for scratch as it is cheap and always available in my area).

Also, I believe Payback brand has a couple concentrated pellet choices that you're supposed to "cut" with whole grains. If you have access to the grains, this is probably the most economical choice. I know someone who does this, feeds it to all their birds from hatching to breeding & laying, and their birds grow really well. But I don't believe Payback has a GMO-Free concentrate.

Perhaps someday Scratch & Peck will offer a feed where the important stuff is pelleted and the grains are whole.

 

[Leigti]

That sounds like a nice feed. I do wish it was closer to me though. I may call them and ask about shipping but it will probably cost a lot. I do know somebody that goes to Eugene a couple times a year so maybe I will be able to work something out. Thanks for the information.

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

That sounds like a nice feed. I do wish it was closer to me though. I may call them and ask about shipping but it will probably cost a lot. I do know somebody that goes to Eugene a couple times a year so maybe I will be able to work something out. Thanks for the information.

We pick it up with our pickup. A breeder I know out by the Dalles has it shipped for surprisingly little. But ... possibly a small feed store close to you would be willing to invest in an order ...

 

[Leigti]

I'll have to look into it.

 

[flickerloo]

I guess I don't really see how a feed with whole grains and pelletized extras is going to be much more effective than the regular feed. They are still going to pick out what they want and ignore the rest unless you only allow them a certain amount each day. Maybe it makes sense for really large flocks. I still prefer fermenting the S&P.

 

[Leigti]

I guess I don't really see how a feed with whole grains and pelletized extras is going to be much more effective than the regular feed. They are still going to pick out what they want and ignore the rest unless you only allow them a certain amount each day. Maybe it makes sense for really large flocks. I still prefer fermenting the S&P.

I will probably end up fermenting what ever feed I get. But I would still like to start out with a good feed.

 

[ladyearth]

I was buying the New Country Organic... a forum member mentioned it was cracked grains. I looked closer.... wow believe they are right
Duh... no more for me . Paid like $50 with the shipping....
so will try something elseMY chickens waste so much not eating the fines or whatever small pellets inside.... even wetted
Those that say they use it are probably employees.
thanks yall

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I guess I don't really see how a feed with whole grains and pelletized extras is going to be much more effective than the regular feed. They are still going to pick out what they want and ignore the rest unless you only allow them a certain amount each day. Maybe it makes sense for really large flocks. I still prefer fermenting the S&P.

What is S&P?

I don't think there is anything different between a plain chicken feed and one that is whole grains and pelletized extras.
All feeds are going to have to provide basically the same ratios of amino acids, vitamins, minerals, fats and energy.

I was buying the New Country Organic... a forum member mentioned it was cracked grains. I looked closer.... wow believe they are right
Duh... no more for me . Paid like $50 with the shipping....
so will try something elseMY chickens waste so much not eating the fines or whatever small pellets inside.... even wetted
Those that say they use it are probably employees.
thanks yall

The amount of grains, legumes and for that matter, all other ingredients will basically be the same.
Pelleted feed minimizes the fines and fermenting or just wetting feed wastes even less.

IMO no matter what magical ingredients are in feed (and some are quite good I admit), unless one is independently wealthy, it doesn't make sense to pay for shipping to one's residence/farm.

 

[flickerloo]

What is S&P?

I don't think there is anything different between a plain chicken feed and one that is whole grains and pelletized extras.
All feeds are going to have to provide basically the same ratios of amino acids, vitamins, minerals, fats and energy.


The amount of grains, legumes and for that matter, all other ingredients will basically be the same.
Pelleted feed minimizes the fines and fermenting or just wetting feed wastes even less.

IMO no matter what magical ingredients are in feed (and some are quite good I admit), unless one is independently wealthy, it doesn't make sense to pay for shipping to one's residence/farm.

S&P is Scratch and Peck, which is a loose dry mash feed, non pelletized. Some people hate on it because of the consistency. They do not pelletize it to avoid heating the feed, which is what happens in the pelleting process. It is designed to be wetted or fermented. The company actually recommends fermenting.

My issue with the idea of whole grains and pelletized nutrients is that the distribution of what the chickens will actually eat would be questionable. My chickens simply pick out the whole grains if I feed dry mash.