Feed Comparision Advice

[SourRoses]

I am very limited for time tonight, and typing on my kindle

I know what that's like! Whenever I have computer problems I use my Kindle to browse and it is so hard to type on with just thumbs.

 

[BlessedChaosHomestead]

Layer feed is not correct for growing meat birds... or for the growth stage of any birds. The purpose of Layer feed is for hens that are laying.
At around 4% calcium, it can cause health problems for roosters (and juveniles of both genders, and hens that are not laying). Healthy growth of bones requires minerals to be in balance... an excess of one can cause deficiency of others.

At merely 16.5% protein, is is not enough to support the genetic potential for meat growth.
Feed formulated for meat birds contains 24% protein or close to it.
Feed formulated for growing chickens contains 20% protein or close to it.
Personally, I treat 20% as the bare minimum for growing out any chicken.

As a small homestead with limited room & limited feed options, we have no choice but to use layer feed for all of ours. So far we’ve been doing this for 3yrs & counting & have yet to have an issue feeding layer feed.
With the caveat that, we keep them in chick grower feed until the graduate to the big runs. Even this year we did have chick food in the trough for awhile. But with the pecking order, the hens will pig out on the crumbles, eat the later feed & leave the rest of layer for the youngers.
I would love to feed an All Flock but I can’t afford $22-25/bag when the layer is $15.00/bag.

Most of ours are laying age now anyway so I’m not worried about the extra calcium. Nor for the roosters as none of mine are show quality or even close to SOP.

As for meatbirds, hindsight we see that is the case. Didn’t even think about that back then. But also these were a dual purpose breed & we weren’t sure which one was going to be the keeper vs dinner. Just like night before processing the #2 leghorn actually became 1 & we processed the one we were going to keep.

Currently the next group is being fed Kalmbach’s Meat bird no gmo 22% protein which is what I’ve started giving my leghorn group just to test. (As stated above.)

 

[SourRoses]

As a small homestead with limited room & limited feed options, we have no choice but to use layer feed for all of ours.

Erm, but, why do you have no choice?
If you feed a grower or all-flock feed you can put oyster shell out on the side in a separate bowl for the layers to seek out at need.

I feed chick starter / grower to all ages because it's the same as all-flock. At my store the Dumor is $20 per 50lbs so cheap enough for my budget.

 

[BlessedChaosHomestead]

Erm, but, why do you have no choice?
If you feed a grower or all-flock feed you can put oyster shell out on the side in a separate bowl for the layers to seek out at need.

I feed chick starter / grower to all ages because it's the same as all-flock. At my store the Dumor is $20 per 50lbs so cheap enough for my budget.

There are only 2 options in my area for Non-GMO feed; Tucker Milling NatureCrest brand & Kalmbach’s line.
Tucker is also no soy/corn which is a plus.

We have oysters out on the side just in case they need it anyway.

We did feed the 18% chick starter for a long time but it’s only in crumble form so they wasted a lot & last time we used that egg production dropped a lot. (No idea why a higher protein feed did that but it did.)

 

[awagnon]

I feed my girls Naturewise Egg Producer feed because it's higher in protein and has the calcium layers need. I don't have roos. Their feather quality has improved since switching from the same brand 'layer' variety. We get it from Chewy.com since our local stores don't carry that variety.

I know you aren't posting about an egg issue and I am not saying to switch to this, since it's about $26 a bag (40 lbs, I think), and you are wanting meat bird feed, but they may have other options for meat birds in your price range in that brand if you prefer it if you can't source what you are looking for locally. Just a thought.

 

[RememberTheWay]

@BlessedChaosHomestead

Imo- the entire nature crest line by TM is inferior nutritionally. When I looked at feed tags, I would even consider it now there regular line. The only two that looked adequate were their show bird line and the quail and game line. The game line imo was better because it actually includes animal protein. And I can get TM (those advised) for reasonable prices. About $20 per 50# bag. Kalmbach also had some decent feeds. Again none of their regular lines would I use. They had a meat bird 22%start to finish that I liked, and some all flock(least fav) and show bird lines (but not all of them) - I can't remember the names on all of them right now. I did like their 44% supplement and it did have animal protein which I liked.

 

[RememberTheWay]

It's not just about protein. I would need to look at the guaranteed analysis for the feed in question to give a more detailed answer though. What is more important then protein % is the Amino Acids Available in the feed. Have you looked into KOFFI feeds? If your looking for organic they may be a decent option. I wasn't particularly impressed with any of their formulas especially the soy and corn free but I did like the quality of the feed and some of the formulas. Mainly their broiler ones. Which I would use starter and add free choice calcium for laying birds.

There are only 2 options in my area for Non-GMO feed; Tucker Milling NatureCrest brand & Kalmbach’s line.
Tucker is also no soy/corn which is a plus.

We have oysters out on the side just in case they need it anyway.

We did feed the 18% chick starter for a long time but it’s only in crumble form so they wasted a lot & last time we used that egg production dropped a lot. (No idea why a higher protein feed did that but it did.)

 

[RememberTheWay]

Ay updates on this change? I'm considering using this feed too. The 22% Meat Bird Start to Finish - but I'm also considering the Show Champions starter, developer, finisher too

As a small homestead with limited room & limited feed options, we have no choice but to use layer feed for all of ours. So far we’ve been doing this for 3yrs & counting & have yet to have an issue feeding layer feed.
With the caveat that, we keep them in chick grower feed until the graduate to the big runs. Even this year we did have chick food in the trough for awhile. But with the pecking order, the hens will pig out on the crumbles, eat the later feed & leave the rest of layer for the youngers.
I would love to feed an All Flock but I can’t afford $22-25/bag when the layer is $15.00/bag.

Most of ours are laying age now anyway so I’m not worried about the extra calcium. Nor for the roosters as none of mine are show quality or even close to SOP.

As for meatbirds, hindsight we see that is the case. Didn’t even think about that back then. But also these were a dual purpose breed & we weren’t sure which one was going to be the keeper vs dinner. Just like night before processing the #2 leghorn actually became 1 & we processed the one we were going to keep.

Currently the next group is being fed Kalmbach’s Meat bird no gmo 22% protein which is what I’ve started giving my leghorn group just to test. (As stated above

 

[BlessedChaosHomestead]

@BlessedChaosHomestead

Imo- the entire nature crest line by TM is inferior nutritionally. When I looked at feed tags, I would even consider it now there regular line. The only two that looked adequate were their show bird line and the quail and game line. The game line imo was better because it actually includes animal protein. And I can get TM (those advised) for reasonable prices. About $20 per 50# bag. Kalmbach also had some decent feeds. Again none of their regular lines would I use. They had a meat bird 22%start to finish that I liked, and some all flock(least fav) and show bird lines (but not all of them) - I can't remember the names on all of them right now. I did like their 44% supplement and it did have animal protein which I liked.

@BlessedChaosHomestead

Imo- the entire nature crest line by TM is inferior nutritionally. When I looked at feed tags, I would even consider it now there regular line. The only two that looked adequate were their show bird line and the quail and game line. The game line imo was better because it actually includes animal protein. And I can get TM (those advised) for reasonable prices. About $20 per 50# bag. Kalmbach also had some decent feeds. Again none of their regular lines would I use. They had a meat bird 22%start to finish that I liked, and some all flock(least fav) and show bird lines (but not all of them) - I can't remember the names on all of them right now. I did like their 44% supplement and it did have animal protein which I liked.

Umm…the NatureCrest chick & layer has pork protein as like the second ingredient.

Kalmbach is what we are feeding our meatbirds atm. (And current chicks.) They ran out at the store so are eating on turkey/gamebird. But got another bag now of Meatbird. (All non-gmo.)
I like Kalmbach’s line just wish it was cheaper.

 

[BlessedChaosHomestead]

It's not just about protein. I would need to look at the guaranteed analysis for the feed in question to give a more detailed answer though. What is more important then protein % is the Amino Acids Available in the feed. Have you looked into KOFFI feeds? If your looking for organic they may be a decent option. I wasn't particularly impressed with any of their formulas especially the soy and corn free but I did like the quality of the feed and some of the formulas. Mainly their broiler ones. Which I would use starter and add free choice calcium for laying birds.

It's not just about protein. I would need to look at the guaranteed analysis for the feed in question to give a more detailed answer though. What is more important then protein % is the Amino Acids Available in the feed. Have you looked into KOFFI feeds? If your looking for organic they may be a decent option. I wasn't particularly impressed with any of their formulas especially the soy and corn free but I did like the quality of the feed and some of the formulas. Mainly their broiler ones. Which I would use starter and add free choice calcium for laying birds.

Yep. Too expensive, plus would have to pre-order & then make sure we were available for the drop. Which up until last Sat, Was not feasible as it was on Sat & those were market days.