Chickens for 10-20 years or more? Pull up a rockin' chair and lay some wisdom on us!

[Chicken Techie]

I did the same thing years ago and now almost all of my pen's have them. So simple and easy most folks don't even think about it.
You mean like these LOL.

thats soooo funny to me, i am new to chickens since april 2012, but i did alot of research and just kept inmind that they are infact just chickens, i did exactly what you did here just because i had an old oil pan and a 5 gallon pail exactly as you have here, i did do one thing different though, since i have an ip camera i can see inside my coop through my computer or cell phone so i used the hole saw and drilled some holes up the side then cut up a 2 liter bottle for the plastic, used small bolts to attach it to the inside and now i have a sight glass and can see how much feed they have left from anywhere's with the camera, and incase anyone is wondering a 5 gallon pail holds about 35lbs of feed, ok back to you OT's!

 

[Erin~TheChickenLover]

Okay, OT's. So, I went to Tractor Supply Co. the other day to get some all flock feed and some Calf Manna. They have neither. As for feed they have yard scratch, sweet feed, corn, Purina Layena, Dumor Starter/Grower, Dumor Finisher, and Dumor Crumble (for layers). I've been feeding my birds Purina Layena but I don't want to continue to feed any of my birds except the laying flock that. Would it be best to feed my bantams and show birds Dumor Finisher? The finisher doesn't have the excess calcium that the Purina has. Would finisher give them the nutrients they need? We are very limited here as to what we can get for the chickens.

 

[Fred's Hens]

DuMor is merely a TSC re-brand, house brand version of Purina. Probably, you knew that.

DuMor Starter-Grower, unmedicated is virtually identical to Flock Raiser. Same - same - same. Bonus? It's around $4 a bag cheaper anyhow.
That's your winner, as far as I'm concerned, at TSC, although a local mill can normally do better on price and freshness.

 

[galanie]

Do you know, my birds will starve to death before eating Purina. Seriously, I can switch food or go to pellets and they'll not want it a day or two, but eventually they'll eat it. Not so with Purina. I got thankfully only a 25 lb bag because I wanted the bag mostly. No more Purina for me. I did get curious and looked at the label. They were proud that the food had no animal by products in it. Darn birds are smarter than me. I wouldnt' have eaten it either.

 

[Erin~TheChickenLover]

DuMor is merely a TSC re-brand, house brand version of Purina. Probably, you knew that.

DuMor Starter-Grower, unmedicated is virtually identical to Flock Raiser. Same - same - same. Bonus? It's around $4 a bag cheaper anyhow.
That's your winner, as far as I'm concerned, at TSC, although a local mill can normally do better on price and freshness.

Ok, thanks! I had no idea that Dumor Starter-Grower is almost identical to Flock Raiser. That is definitely good to know.

 

[Erin~TheChickenLover]

Do you know, my birds will starve to death before eating Purina. Seriously, I can switch food or go to pellets and they'll not want it a day or two, but eventually they'll eat it. Not so with Purina. I got thankfully only a 25 lb bag because I wanted the bag mostly. No more Purina for me. I did get curious and looked at the label. They were proud that the food had no animal by products in it. Darn birds are smarter than me. I wouldnt' have eaten it either.

Really? My laying flock loves Purina. I was feeding them Dumor Crumble but they hated it and would waste it. Maybe they just like pellets better, who knows?

 

[Beekissed]

How much is a typical bag of feed at TSC?

 

[Erin~TheChickenLover]

How much is a typical bag of feed at TSC?

It's about $15 a bag. That's for Purina Layena or DuMor.

 

[Fred's Hens]

How much is a typical bag of feed at TSC?

I can only quote prices here, Bee. Flock Raiser is $20 a 50. DuMor Starter/Grower $16 a 50. Layena is $18 a 50. I look, but never buy. For those prices I can buy 100 lbs at our local mill.

 

[Fred's Hens]

TSC has a website where you can enter you local zip code and if you identify a store as "my store", prices on all their feed will appear. Easy to price check your area, if you have a TSC nearby.