Feed sound off, Purina vs Blueseal vs Nutrena

[ChickenCanoe]

Thanks! It seems to be the only alternative on the market if you are avoiding soy.

Most soy free feeds I've seen use field peas for that side of the amino acid complex that isn't in grain.
I don't mind feeds that contain animal protein because that will provide a more complete array of amino acids.
I keep a bag of fishmeal that I mix with lower protein feeds for chicks to bring it up to where they need it. The only time my adult birds get fishmeal is during molt season when they aren't laying but I've never noticed an eggs taste problem.
But poultry nutritionists recommend keeping the amount of fishmeal low for active layers.
For chicks, I mix fishmeal with a 16% organic grower at a ratio of 1:10 which yields 20% crude protein.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Okay so since August I've been doing a trial........ I started with blue seal extra egg layer crumble....which was fantastic the poop was nice and clumpy and didn't smell too bad.... The yolks were a good medium color... I have leghorns so the shells .. white and nice and firm.... Then when I switched over to the nutrena layer crumble, I noticed a crumble was much much much darker I couldn't make out any corn pieces or anything it looked like chopped up cardboard..... And it kind of has a crunchy crumbry feeling to it.. I fed it to the girls they loved it, but I noticed darker much darker poop and it was more runny and it smelled really bad, it didn't change the structure of the egg or the quality in my opinion I didn't notice much on the laying maybe one or two less eggs here and there... Then when they gave them Purina layena layer crumble, I have the exact same results as blue seal they almost look identical the poop went back to normal... And after 5 days a feeding them Lena every Haddon was laying again for at least four to five days in a row.... Unfortunately my local Agway does not carry lagina or blue seal crumble.... They do have blue seal layer pellets which I have this month and I added a little water to it and make it a mash... But I made sure I went to a tractor supply and I bought a bag of blue seal layer crumble and a blue seal of all flock crumble.... I found mixing the two is a great combination especially for winter...... Let me know what you guys think

IMO, too much emphasis is being placed on the looks and smell rather than the guaranteed analysis tag which also has the list of ingredients which are normally listed in order of highest percentage to lowest. Sometimes it will also have the mill date or the date will be on the seal at the bottom of the bag.
Also, the ingredients will vary from time to time from mill to mill depending on which primary ingredients are available at the time.
Every feed manufacturer is privy to the same research into what nutrients and at what ratios are required by poultry at each stage of life. They just achieve the correct nutrition with what ingredients are available and cheapest at the time based on their quality. When they make a deal on grains and legumes, they buy them and they come into the mill by the trainload. They then assay for the nutrient levels of the primary ingredients and add the vitamins, minerals and fats to compensate that assay to achieve the required nutrient blend.
So to summarize, there really isn't a great deal of difference in feeds as long as they are fresh and there is nothing in the ingredient list you don't want in their feed.

 

[chkncrazy]

IMO, too much emphasis is being placed on the looks and smell rather than the guaranteed analysis tag which also has the list of ingredients which are normally listed in order of highest percentage to lowest. Sometimes it will also have the mill date or the date will be on the seal at the bottom of the bag.
Also, the ingredients will vary from time to time from mill to mill depending on which primary ingredients are available at the time.
Every feed manufacturer is privy to the same research into what nutrients and at what ratios are required by poultry at each stage of life. They just achieve the correct nutrition with what ingredients are available and cheapest at the time based on their quality. When they make a deal on grains and legumes, they buy them and they come into the mill by the trainload. They then assay for the nutrient levels of the primary ingredients and add the vitamins, minerals and fats to compensate that assay to achieve the required nutrient blend.
So to summarize, there really isn't a great deal of difference in feeds as long as they are fresh and there is nothing in the ingredient list you don't want in their feed.

I do agree and everything you said although the smell in the look of the grain to me I didn't like... According to the label the nutrition was there.... But the only thing that turned me off was 3 days in feeding that feed I found lower egg production and their poop was more runny and stinkier.... It lasted the duration of the feed when I switch them back it stopped after a few days so it could have just been coincidence I don't know but it's just my personal experience...

 

[Dishens]

Ironically, when using a soy-free feed, it is often the Flax and/or Canola meal that will give you a fishy tasting egg. Not the fishmeal.

It would make sense that it was the added fishmeal but it's not. The soy free diets will typically have upwards of 20%+ inclusions of Flax and/or canola, and it is well documented that it will cause fishy eggs with certain breeds. In normal rations, the amount of flax or canola is only about 10%, and doesn't cause the issue with inclusion rates that low.

Oh no! i just bought jus just bought a bag of Nutrena Hearty Hen. It’s soy free and uses canola. And flax. They haven’t begun laying yet, I’m just transitioning to transition them. They are 18 weeks old.

 

[Dishens]

Has anyone tried the new Purina feed with insect protein?

 

[NNYchick]

Has anyone tried the new Purina feed with insect protein?

Love the idea, I’ve been hearing about insect protein in feed on the different podcast it sounds very promising. The thing that’s stops me with the new Purina is the numbers on the tag don’t work for me the protein and vitamins are way off the mark for where I want them for my breeders.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Love the idea, I’ve been hearing about insect protein in feed on the different podcast it sounds very promising. The thing that’s stops me with the new Purina is the numbers on the tag don’t work for me the protein and vitamins are way off the mark for where I want them for my breeders.

Where do you want the numbers?

 

[NNYchick]

Where do you want the numbers?

I’ve been researching breeder nutrition and still researching but Im looking at my protein to be 18-22%, fiber 5-6 percent, calcium under 2, vitamins A 5,000,D 2,00O and E 50. Most feeds don’t cover all this, especially the vitamins. But most come somewhat close then I can do short term supplement during hatch season.

 

[Folly's place]

I just looked up the Purina 'Free Range Layer' diet with insect proteins, and it is 16% protein. I also want, and feed, a 20% protein diet instead.
Mary

 

[NNYchick]

I recently found this pod cast with a poultry nutritionist. It has a lot of great information to ponder. https://www.breedersacademy.com/ep35-interview-with-jeff-mattocks-about-poultry-nutrition-part-1/
Something that I have always wondered about in my research is the nutrition studies and information for guidelines I have found are alway geared towards big AG egg/meat production. So their goal is maximum productivity for the lest amount of money and neither are invested in the health of the bird long term. But my goal is different I want longevity of health. So my opinion or thoughts are the nutrition needs are going to be different than the standard set for big AG.