Dumor all flock vs purina flock raiser

[kchapman81]

Hi there!

I currently have a small mixed back yard flock of chickens and after they were off starter/grower feed I was advised to switch to an all flock and offer oyster shells so I started feeding the dumor all flock.

In the next week I’m welcoming in some chicks and was looking into the all flock to see if there was anything the chicks would need added to benefit them (looking for advice on that as well, any supplements/vitamins?) but happened to see there was a difference between all flock and the purina flock raiser?

Which should I be feeding? For both my adult birds and the chicks?

Please help! Thank you in advance!

 

[Brooks_]

I use Purina. Iirc, the dumor is only 17%. Purina flock raiser is one of the better choices all around.

 

[nuthatched]

Flock raiser is 20% protein, I choose flock raiser or stick with unmedicated chick feed.

 

[aart]

but happened to see there was a difference between all flock and the purina flock raiser?

What difference?

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Hi there!

I currently have a small mixed back yard flock of chickens and after they were off starter/grower feed I was advised to switch to an all flock and offer oyster shells so I started feeding the dumor all flock.

In the next week I’m welcoming in some chicks and was looking into the all flock to see if there was anything the chicks would need added to benefit them (looking for advice on that as well, any supplements/vitamins?) but happened to see there was a difference between all flock and the purina flock raiser?

Which should I be feeding? For both my adult birds and the chicks?

Please help! Thank you in advance!

You could do much worse than the Purina. Nutritionally, it is the better feed.

Higher protein, fat levels are where you want them, fiber is a tad high but not to worrisome levels, excellent levels of methionine (0.55%) which is used in building connective tissues, digestive system, etc and lysine (1.1%), key to skeletal muscle development and breast muscle, among other uses. Also, a good Ca/P ratio at 10:6

For comparison, Dumor. Lower protein (17%), lower Methionine (0.35), lower lysine (.95), lower fat (this isn't a problem), higher fiber (more of a potential problem than in the Purina), similar (good) Ca/P ratio of 10:6.

 

[K0k0shka]

I use Purina flock raiser as well, because it's 20% protein. Except for the first few weeks with new chicks. Then I feed medicated chick starter, because I want to give them protection against coccidiosis. They may or may not get natural protection from the soil, but if they're indoors in a brooder they won't even see soil for a while (some people bring them a clump, I'm not sure how effective that actually is). I don't like unnecessary risks and preventable diseases though, so instead of gambling and hoping it works out, I choose prevention and use medicated feed until they finish the bag. Adults can eat it too with no problems. Then I switch everybody to Purina flock raiser.

 

[kerbotx]

So does anyone actually abide by the "8 weeks of age and older" bit advised by Purina or 7 weeks for Nutrena's all flock? I didn't see that on the Dumor, but as a side note, I think the Dumor all flock only comes in pellet form.

 

[K0k0shka]

So does anyone actually abide by the "8 weeks of age and older" bit advised by Purina or 7 weeks for Nutrena's all flock? I didn't see that on the Dumor, but as a side note, I think the Dumor all flock only comes in pellet form.

I go by what it takes to build immunity, when feeding medicated starter, and the recommendation for that is something between two weeks and a month. That's why I get one 50lbs bag and feed it until they finish it (takes them longer than a month, definitely, because I don't have a lot of chicks at a time). If I didn't care about the amprolium though, I'd just feed flock raiser from the start. All these starter, grower, finisher and other intermediate feeds are just a marketing trick. You don't need that many steps in-between. Protein % and particle size is what's most important. Starters are usually ground smaller, but even the regular crumble has enough smaller pieces in there (especially if the bag was handled roughly and they got broken up) that it's fine.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

So does anyone actually abide by the "8 weeks of age and older" bit advised by Purina or 7 weeks for Nutrena's all flock? I didn't see that on the Dumor, but as a side note, I think the Dumor all flock only comes in pellet form.

I don't feed my own flock the way I recommend typical, typical, typical feed their own flock, so I'm going to have to answer "N/A" to this one. I also can't fathom why - apart from market segmentation, they say this - at least in Purina's case, their AF/FR is better nutritionally for hatchlings than their Starter and Starter/Grower options. Briefly, I toyed with the idea that it might relate to "Medicated" or not - but had to abandon that thought when I found they had a medicated Flock Raiser (not that anyone seems to stock it)... Maybe someone in Purina's marketing can tell us, 'cause its not obvious from the nutrition label.

 

[lauraschicks]

Hi there!

I currently have a small mixed back yard flock of chickens and after they were off starter/grower feed I was advised to switch to an all flock and offer oyster shells so I started feeding the dumor all flock.need

In the next week I’m welcoming in some chicks and was looking into the all flock to see if there was anything the chicks would need added to benefit them (looking for advice on that as well, any supplements/vitamins?) but happened to see there was a difference between all flock and the purina flock raiser?

Which should I be feeding? For both my adult birds and the chicks?

Please help! Thank you in advance!

For What It's Worth: Flock Raiser. I have a mixed flock of chickens, ducks, and geese. My goose just started laying, and I only have one Pekin drake (need some ducks), but also have chickens, both roos and hens. I went with Flock Raiser due to the waterfowl, but have found all of my birds are very healthy on it. My hens have laid eggs all winter long (less than usual, but still consistent), and have shown nice body size and feather health. I still think extra niacin might be beneficial for young waterfowl especially, because I did notice a couple of times that my drake was ouchy on his leg (no evidence of bumblefoot, so feel he just was growing so fast he probably needed even more niacin), but my geese have been very good throughout. I feed BSF larvae and scratch for pleasure, treats, and calcium benefits, as well as free choice oyster shells, grit, and I feed their eggshells back to them (baked and crushed; they eat them like candy). They also semi-free range (limited area within electric poultry netting) during the day, and live in an open air coop/pen. I've hesitated to even try the All flock and other choices due to the lower protein and the added calcium that the drake, gander, and roos would be exposed to. I've had them on flock raiser since the first set of chicks were about 2-3 weeks old (they started on chick feed, but converted to Flock Raiser as soon as I acquired my waterfowl and a second set of chicks which have eaten Flock Raiser their entire lives). I see no difference in health between the second set of chicks and the first, including the Cornish Cross roo and hen I have who have been free ranged and fed Flock Raiser the entire time. I figure next year I will see if this was detrimental to the Cornish crosses, but at this time they are all healthy and tolerated last summer's heat and rain... without any evidence of more stress than my other flock members. I may find they drop dead of little heart attacks in the summer, but I won't know until or unless that happens. Additionally I know I am raising them on farmland that has had coccidia present in the past, but none of my birds have shown any illness despite never receiving vaccines or medicated feed.