Feed change

[Trish1947]

What are they eating now? It may be fine to continue the same feed, and just put out a dish of oyster shell.

Rumor lay crumble for my 3 that are producing (1 year olds). The younger ones I was concerned with eat Dumor starter/grower right now. They are in separate coops but I want to put the 3 older ones with the younger girls when I knew it was safe to feed them lay crumble. This ALL FLOCK is going to solve all my issues it seems.

 

[Brooks_]

This ALL FLOCK is going to solve all my issues it seems

Yes, it's easier to feed them all the same thing through all life stages.

 

[NatJ]

Rumor lay crumble for my 3 that are producing (1 year olds). The younger ones I was concerned with eat Dumor starter/grower right now. They are in separate coops but I want to put the 3 older ones with the younger girls when I knew it was safe to feed them lay crumble. This ALL FLOCK is going to solve all my issues it seems.

If you're using the Dumor 20% Starter/Grower from Tractor Supply, it should work just as well as "All Flock."

I found the nutrition facts on the website:
https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/p...ick-strarter-grower-20-feed-50-lb-3006317-306

It's got 20% protein, 3% fat, 6% fiber, 1-1.5% calcium

That's pretty close to what @U_Stormcrow recommended:

All Flock/Flock-raiser type defined as an 18-20% protein feed, about 3.5% fat +/-, about 3.5% fiber +/-, about 1.5% calcium +/- (in decreasing order of importance).

The only difference is that the Dumor starter is a little high in fiber (6% rather than 3.5%).

But the fiber content of Nutrena All Flock is also 6%
https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/nutrena-naturewise-all-flock-pellet-40-lb-bag

While Purina's Flock Raiser has 5% fiber
https://www.purinamills.com/chicken-feed/products/detail/purina-flock-raiser-crumbles

So I would say your current Starter/Grower is fine to use as an "All Flock" feed if you want to.

 

[Brooks_]

If you're using the Dumor 20% Starter/Grower from Tractor Supply, it should work just as well as "All Flock."

I found the nutrition facts on the website:
https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/p...ick-strarter-grower-20-feed-50-lb-3006317-306

It's got 20% protein, 3% fat, 6% fiber, 1-1.5% calcium

That's pretty close to what @U_Stormcrow recommended:


The only difference is that the Dumor starter is a little high in fiber (6% rather than 3.5%).

But the fiber content of Nutrena All Flock is also 6%
https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/nutrena-naturewise-all-flock-pellet-40-lb-bag

While Purina's Flock Raiser has 5% fiber
https://www.purinamills.com/chicken-feed/products/detail/purina-flock-raiser-crumbles

So I would say your current Starter/Grower is fine to use as an "All Flock" feed if you want to.

Well put. The dumor starter/ grower would be the better choice over their all flock.

(I still say Purina)

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Well put. The dumor starter/ grower would be the better choice over their all flock.

(I still say Purina)

So do I (Purina), but you have to get down into the weeds (Methionine, Lysine) for why, nutritionally. In terms of the product itself, though I've not used it personally, based on comments here on BYC, it is less "tolerant" of rough handling or extended storage - lots of complaints of bags of "dust". The Dumor uses a lot of byproducts to keep costs down, so its processing already processed ingredients...

if money were my sole consideration, I'd offer Dumor as a wet mash/ferment and be done with it.

 

[Brooks_]

I am fortunate. FR is cheaper for me.

 

[HeatherKellyB]

I am fortunate. FR is cheaper for me.

Wow! That's wonderful. My birds like Purina FR Pellets and the Pellets are more expensive, which I find odd. Seems like crumbles are another step in their process but they're less expensive by a few bucks. Purina FR is right at $22 per 50lb bag here. Same place has 50lb Nutrena Layer Crumbles for under $13. This isn't TSC. Both of my local TSC don't carry Purina FR Pellets, only crumbles. Seems like I have read comments here on BYC about Dumor causing more stinky poops. I could be wrong.

 

[Brooks_]

Wow! That's wonderful. My birds like Purina FR Pellets and the Pellets are more expensive, which I find odd. Seems like crumbles are another step in their process but they're less expensive by a few bucks. Purina FR is right at $22 per 50lb bag here. Same place has 50lb Nutrena Layer Crumbles for under $13. This isn't TSC. Both of my local TSC don't carry Purina FR Pellets, only crumbles. Seems like I have read comments here on BYC about Dumor causing more stinky poops. I could be wrong.

FR is 15.99 in store (sale, 16.99 since April price hike thread). I've read the same about dumor and think to recall more smell/stank...w/o a side by side sniff test

Purina feed, itself, smells better. Nutrena even better.

 

[3KillerBs]

Yes, it's easier to feed them all the same thing through all life stages.

I personally like to feed one bag of medicated chick starter before switching to the all-flock crumble.

My reasoning is that I make no attempt to create a sterile environment for my chicks -- brooding outdoors (and sometimes in the run), makes that impossible. The brooder isn't *dirty*, but the chicks will be exposed to cocci right away so I figure that the bag of medicated feed gives them an edge getting going.

 

[Brooks_]

I personally like to feed one bag of medicated chick starter before switching to the all-flock crumble.

My reasoning is that I make no attempt to create a sterile environment for my chicks -- brooding outdoors (and sometimes in the run), makes that impossible. The brooder isn't *dirty*, but the chicks will be exposed to cocci right away so I figure that the bag of medicated feed gives them an edge getting going.

I have used small amounts of sod/soil for early exposure. My next brood will be outside so I may use medicated, but as I understand the medicated won't harm adults so I'd still be feeding all of them the same.