Comparing Feeds Help

[Peaches Lee]

I am in a dilemma between feeds. My chickens have been on Blue Seal products from day one, but the place I get the feed from is 1) A cramped hardware store 2) Not the most easy place to drive too (difficult and busy city) and 3) The younger staff can be a little bit snotty, like it's bothering them to wait on you. So I really like Blue Seal and my chickens seem to like it and do well on it, but getting the feed at this place is not so fun.

But the other day I was at TSC getting some other stuff and using up my 15% off coupon and decided to try a Dumor bag of grain. Trouble is, it's so different from Blue Seal, it smells different, it's colored different and I'm just like a little bit wondering if this is okay feed for them. The pros of TSC are that the aisles are nice and big, you can get the feed yourself, and the parking lot was made for people with farm trucks in mind--so much easier all around.

I don't really know what to look for to determine what is a more "quality" feed. I looked at the ingredients and Blue Seal has more stuff in it and this is the other things I've noticed...

Blue Seal Dumor
Crude Fiber, max...4.0% Crude Fiber, max...7.0%
Calcium, min...3.4% max...3.8% Calcium, min...3.8% max...4.8%
Salt, min...0.3% max....0.5% Salt, min....0.25% max...0.75%

So which feed do I go with?

 

[ChicKat]

Hey Peaches,
is the protein content the same? Do I understand correctly that you already have the Dumor. Do your chickens have any reaction--- like sticking their beaks in the air and saying 'what is this stuff'? Seriously, the Blue seal has less salt, less calcium and less crude fiber...

salt-bad if too much?
calcium - good
crude fiber- = filler?

my guess is the Blue Seal is better -- tough it out at the nasty store--- whip those surly clerks into shape--- after all, you are doing it for your chickens!

Good luck -- hope you get more feedback from forum members.

 

[Peaches Lee]

Quote:
Hi there! Yes, protein is the same. I do have the Dumor bag and they are eating it, I don't know if they love it as much as the Blue Seal, but they are eating it.

Yes, I thought that maybe there was too much salt in the Dumor...but I'm not a nutrition expert (or better, don't really know exactly what I'm looking at when it comes to feed analysis), anyway, thanks so much for your time.

 

[ChicKat]

It is difficult to get the right feed IMO---
The one I am using now is 0.35%-min to 0.85% max.. so it is even saltier than the dumore I just checked it after your post..... :O) I Hope that they are leaning toward the minimum---because that high end number sounds kind of high to me.

If my chickens act like the food isn't good, (I use crumbles) I put a little water on to moisten, and suddenly they think it is wonderful. I also try to see that they get bug patrol time and plenty of grass, and other supplements, I'm not 100% trusting of any feed== that's just me.

Glad that yours made the transition easily.

 

[WoodlandWoman]

What are the ingredients? What is the source of protein in each of them?

 

[Peaches Lee]

Ingredients list:


Blue Seal Layer Mash
Grain products, Processed Grain By-Products, Plant Protein Products, Calcium Carbonate, Monocalcium Phosphate, Salt, DL-Methionine, Choline, Chloride, L-Lysine, Monohydrochloride, Vitamin E supplement, Zinc sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Zinc Proteinate, Copper Sulfate, Calcium Iodate, Vitamin A Supplement, Manganese Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Sodium Selenite, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Niacin, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin, Thiamine Mononitrate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Cobalt Carbonate, Folic Acid, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Biotin, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (Source of Vitamin K Activity), Brewers Dried Yeast, Yeast Culture, Dried Enterococcus Faecium Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Product, Dried Aspergillus Niger Fermentation Extract, Dried Trichoderma Longibrachiatum Fermantation Extract, Dried Bacillus Subtilis Fermentation Extract, Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Fermentation Solubles.

Dumor Layer Crumble
Processed Grain By-Products, Grain Products, Plant Protein Products, Calcium Carbonate, Salt, Monocalcium Phosphate, Dicalcium Phosphate, DI-methionine, Vitamin E Supplement, L-Lysine, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Folic Acid, Niacin Supplement, Cholin Chloride, Calcium Pantothenate, Biotin, Soybean Oil, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Manganous Oxide, Zinc Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite. RUMINANT MEAT AND BONE MEAL FREE.