Corn found in my corn-free feed

[Betty the Chicken]

I’m looking for a new feed after finding corn in what should have been corn-free feed. The company I was buying from was promised to be corn free, soy free, gmo free, organic. Can anyone recommend another feed that is similar?

That is truly corn free?

 

[sillyduckz]

Small Pet Select has an 18% layer feed that claims to be both corn-free, soy-free, and gmo-free, but i personally haven't used it; another option i've found is New Country Organics 17% Layer Pellets, however they do disclose that their food is milled in a facility along with corn, so it may not be truly 100% corn-free. i'll update with more suggestions as i find them. what's your reason for choosing corn-free if you don't mind me asking?

 

[nuthatched]

Looks like it just fell in the bag before sewing, I wouldn't jump ship on a brand unless it happens again.

 

[Tookie]

I also feed a Non-GMO, corn free, and soy free feed. I do find some corn pieces but I assume its just accidently getting in there. I've been finding it in every bag I buy... I wouldn't worry too much about it though.

 

[Mother of Chaos]

Agreed - unless there is a true food allergy issue present, a random kernel of corn wouldn't make me change brands. This would be different if there were <insert your own amount here; e.g. dozens> and I had to go through every bag before using.

(A family member has -literally- life-threatening food allergies, and we are all hyper-careful about everything, including a kiss on the cheek if we've just eaten something with butter. I take food allergies VERY seriously.)

 

[Betty the Chicken]

There are yellow pieces actually compressed into the pellets, so it appears to be more than it fell in. When you are paying 40 something for a bag of feed that promises no corn, you don’t expect to find corn. I could spend far less if I didn’t care about corn.

 

[Betty the Chicken]

I also feed a Non-GMO, corn free, and soy free feed. I do find some corn pieces but I assume it’s just accidently getting in there. I've been finding it in every bag I buy... I wouldn't worry too much about it though.

What brand are you feeding? I’d love to know what other options are out there.

 

[LaFleche]

There are yellow pieces actually compressed into the pellets, so it appears to be more than it fell in. When you are paying 40 something for a bag of feed that promises no corn, you don’t expect to find corn. I could spend far less if I didn’t care about corn.

Contact the manufacturer and/or file a complaint.
Corn and soy free feed will be more expensive and if contrary to the claim the feed does contain corn, you paid too much and might even get your health endangered in case of allergies.

 

[Al Gerhart]

One would imagine that they aren't going to clean the hammer mills,grinders, conveyors, augers, and pellet machines when switching over. There are lots of things in this world that have to be precise, exact, and contaminate free. Chicken feed, no matter the customers desires, simply is not one of these products requiring costly cleaning and maybe even sanitation.

The more involved a process is, the longer it takes to produce, the toll is running on overhead and labor. I could see where the first few bags might have some debris from the equipment or perhaps some stray product falling from an overhead conveyor.

I mean, even human food is allowed a certain percentages of mouse poop and insects. Few things in life can be done perfectly and fewer of us can afford perfection if it is attainable.

So here are two options for you.

Bust up a few random hand fulls of feed looking for the corn. If it is rare you have a choice to speak up and complain or stay quiet. Perhaps take the bag back for a refund. Then you face the feed store refunding your money and refusing to deal with you, or maybe the complaint gets back to the feed processor and the say "Fudge it." and just stop making the specialty feed as it attracts picky customers in their view.

Or, assuming there is minimal corn in the pellets, stay quiet and monitor the next bag to see if you got one of the first run bags with contamination.

And really research and question if a little corn is a big deal. For a lot of us it sounds like a first world problem. To you, obviously it isn't seen that way.

 

[Sic]

There are yellow pieces actually compressed into the pellets, so it appears to be more than it fell in. When you are paying 40 something for a bag of feed that promises no corn, you don’t expect to find corn. I could spend far less if I didn’t care about corn.

They use yellow field peas, so it wouldn't be surprisingly to see yellow bits throughout the feed. They don't use corn in any of their feed, so contact them and tell them that you found a whole corn kernel in the bag. It could happen where the feed is packaged.