Feed Problems

[Robo]

Well I have been feeding all of my quail a starter that the local mill sells to my feed store. Since a big customer tied in with quail unlimited switched feeds they discontinued it. Long story short I bought what they had and that will last me about a week. In that time I need to find a non medicated starter. The blend I was using was based off of a breeder ration but it was mixed with soy and a few other things. I spent about an hour at the feed store talking and we came up with a few ideas. The first was to call southern states and ask about un medicated quail and turkey starter, the second mix soy with a breeder which will cost quite a bit, the third was to call the mill in Winchester and ask if they will blend some for us. Since this guy has quail too we are in the same boat. They carry a medicated turkey and quail starter but we can't find anything un medicated because of our region. We figured if we do a bulk order from the mill and split the cost they might make some for us. Oh, and the guy tied in with quail unlimited has coturnix too so that's why he bought a lot of it. Plus he started his bobwhites on it. So we are calling right now, any ideas? Should I find a closer mill that will make a custom blend? Thanks.

 

[Tony K T]

Why can't you talk to the big customer and see if he will sell you what you need?If he's getting the feed you need at the grain store you shop,why won't they sell it to you?You are still a customer,and it sounds like you have been getting your feed there before he came along,do they not want your business?My feed store will mix whatever you want up for you.Feed is getting so ridiculasly high,it isn't worth trying to ship feed in.I paid 13.69 for 50 lbs of gamebird feed today(sat 3/5),and 11,69 for 50 lbs of cracked corn.Corn use to be 6.79 not to long ago.
In N.H.,Tony.

 

[Robo]

I guess I forgot to add that this other guy is gonna quit. Since they won't be selling near as much they are going to quit making the blend. We tried to order it and they told us they were about to quit making it. They told us to just order the medicated. Apparently they won't get enough business because there is four people that order it and the big one is going to quit. It's not a brand, it is a 22% breeder that they add stuff to. The person who I am buying it from owns a feed store and he can't get it anymore. They told us we can buy another brand though, but its medicated... So we are going to call another mill that we get chicken feed from and see if they have an un medicated line that they sell. This was a local mill, but the one in Winchester carries a lot more brands. Southern States seems to be our best bet right now so we'll see Monday.

 

[mhwc56]

if you have a Southern States feed store near you why don't you just get their Gamebird Starter crumbles? Be sure to ask specifically for their unmedicated as they have both in that brand ...It's what i use that i get from our S.S. I just have to call them a few days ahead to tell them how much i want them to have delivered for me and it comes in on the next shipment of feed. It's a 28% protein . My birds do very well on it. If you want the product order #, i'll post it tomorrow for you to give them.

 

[Robo]

Well feed is a regional thing and since I'm in the pheasant belt it is almost impossible to find suitable feed. So Southern States might not have the un medicated here.

 

[Rainwolf]

is it a Mill or a feed store?
a Mill should be able to mix/make what ever with a minimum order. This is where you go around finding every one you know with quails in the area and go in together to buy feed.

I do this with my feed miller and he even delivers to me with a minimum order. (over 100 miles away)
Granted I go through a lot of feed with chickens/goats/quails. and the quail feed is the custom mix. My orders are over a ton and then some.

 

[Robo]

It is a local mill that sells to the feed store. They are going to quit making it since they aren't making enough money off of it. They won't make a custom mix, they just sell some off brand blends. They have a minimum order and I can't make it. Even if we come together we can't. There are only two of us wanting to buy it and they think it's not worth making anymore.

 

[JJMR794]

Sounds Like Its Time To Start Mill Shopping....

 

[Robo]

Yeah, there's a small mill in Crossville so that's an option. Most of the feed people buy in Tennessee comes through the regional mill in Winchester who doesn't do custom blends.

 

[kahlertm]

Robo, JJ, Quaillady, Fatdaddy, Shelly,buttercup, Joe125 and all others who have experience, can we have a sticky of what a good recipie or the standard for a "handmilled" or custom milled ingredient list would need to be.

Or a stickie that states a suggested milled ration for Quail, starter, and then layer if need be.


It was suggested to me to simply look at the ingredients of the medicated GBS and subtract the meds, and have the miller copy it with his grains and materials on hand. Which sounds sage good advise. But if you know a secret ingredient that causes problems or that promotes wellness, can you let us know.

It has been more than a decade and a half since I took Livestock Feeds and Feeding Rations class in College. I did not retain a thing.

Or lost it on the way here, wrangling a child.

Tonya