Feed brand or feed content?

[HighlandRogue]

I'm new to raising chickens and currently have qty.9 ~3+ week old Brown Leghorns. I think they are doing well. They are being given a vitamin water solution. I ran them through a small bag of medicated chick starter and now are on Dumor chick starter.
Here are my questions... Is Dumor a poor quality feed or is not about brand but finding the right formula? Also, my Father-in-law has raised chickens and I don't remember the smell. But when I started the Dumor I was blown away by the odor and the number of flies attracted to the brooder. Is that the feed or the age of the chicks?
I hope this makes sense. I'm really glad I found this forum! Their are some great reads here!!

 

[Folly's place]

Welcome!
The nutritional profile, freshness (by mill date), and overall quality of the brand all matter. i wasn't happy when I tried Dumor, years ago, and have liked Purina's Flock Raiser for a long time. There's not a private feed mill nearby, so that's not an option here. Our local stores have Flock Raiser milled within one month, so we can use it up within two months of the mill date, which is important to me.
You may find another brand that's fresh where you shop, there's no one 'perfect' choice everywhere.
I think that Dumor is cheap for a reason...
Do learn to look at the mill date on each bag of feed before purchase! There's some really old stuff out there sometimes.
Mary

 

[GC-Raptor]

Is Dumor a poor quality feed or is not about brand but finding the right formula? Also, my Father-in-law has raised chickens and I don't remember the smell. But when I started the Dumor I was blown away by the odor and the number of flies attracted to the brooder. Is that the feed or the age of the chicks?

I bought a bag of DuMor Starfer-Grower feed 10 lb for my first batch of Chicks 5 years ago.
Back then I read about smelly poop and if I remember correctly, I experienced that myself.
Most DuMor labels that I've read seem to list wheat as a first ingredient.
I wonder if wheat is the cause for the smelly poop.

As for feed brands available at my local TSC, I like Nutrina NatureWise and Purina feeds.
I like and use both.
Organic feeds, I like Nature's Best.
GC

 

[HighlandRogue]

Welcome!
The nutritional profile, freshness (by mill date), and overall quality of the brand all matter. i wasn't happy when I tried Dumor, years ago, and have liked Purina's Flock Raiser for a long time. There's not a private feed mill nearby, so that's not an option here. Our local stores have Flock Raiser milled within one month, so we can use it up within two months of the mill date, which is important to me.
You may find another brand that's fresh where you shop, there's no one 'perfect' choice everywhere.
I think that Dumor is cheap for a reason...
Do learn to look at the mill date on each bag of feed before purchase! There's some really old stuff out there sometimes.
Mary

I'm going out right now to find that date. I just picked up another bag. Might trade up to Purina or Nutrina. I did see other starters at my local TS but when I asked the kid at the store ye said they just use Dumor (probably because it's cheaper than the rest) Thanks for the reply!

 

[HighlandRogue]

I bought a bag of DuMor Starfer-Grower feed 10 lb for my first batch of Chicks 5 years ago.
Back then I read about smelly poop and if I remember correctly, I experienced that myself.
Most DuMor labels that I've read seem to list wheat as a first ingredient.
I wonder if wheat is the cause for the smelly poop.

As for feed brands available at my local TSC, I like Nutrina NatureWise and Purina feeds.
I like and use both.
Organic feeds, I like Nature's Best.
GC

I'm going to have to check out those other brands. Check the dates and read the labels better. I don't know why I thought it didn't matter. (I don't buy the massed produced corn based dog foods for my hounds either sooo...) Thanks for the advise! Everyone on here is great!!

 

[BlackDog26]

I'm new to raising chickens and currently have qty.9 ~3+ week old Brown Leghorns. I think they are doing well. They are being given a vitamin water solution. I ran them through a small bag of medicated chick starter and now are on Dumor chick starter.
Here are my questions... Is Dumor a poor quality feed or is not about brand but finding the right formula? Also, my Father-in-law has raised chickens and I don't remember the smell. But when I started the Dumor I was blown away by the odor and the number of flies attracted to the brooder. Is that the feed or the age of the chicks?
I hope this makes sense. I'm really glad I found this forum! Their are some great reads here!!

I order scratch and peck organic feed

 

[Banty crazy]

I’ve always used Dumor for the chickens and the starter for chicks and never had a bad smell! My birds did well on it. I don’t like Purina crumble because it has so much powder in the bags so to me it’s a waist. Just moved out of state and I’m having trouble finding a good brand. All I can find is Kent ( never heard of that one ) but they did have Nutrina . I was told by a few good breeders that their birds had problems on Nutrina so I didn’t get that.

 

[3KillerBs]

is not about brand but finding the right formula

I was buying feed this afternoon. My first time at this store instead of having DH pick it up on his way home.

Instead of looking for the name "All Flock" I looked at the protein content and ended up getting 21% protein for $5 less per bag by getting Southern States "Super Breeder" instead of the Purina.

As I commented to the clerk, my chickens eat anything I put in the feeder and I feed whatever is the best deal I can get on 18% protein or better. Therefore brand name or pellets vs crumble is irrelevant to me.

 

[Brooks_]

I was buying feed this afternoon. My first time at this store instead of having DH pick it up on his way home.

Instead of looking for the name "All Flock" I looked at the protein content and ended up getting 21% protein for $5 less per bag by getting Southern States "Super Breeder" instead of the Purina.

As I commented to the clerk, my chickens eat anything I put in the feeder and I feed whatever is the best deal I can get on 18% protein or better. Therefore brand name or pellets vs crumble is irrelevant to me.

What was the calcium. I tried googling, but was inconclusive.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

What was the calcium. I tried googling, but was inconclusive.

3% +/- 0.5%. (Click on the "Guaranteed Analysis" tab)