Feed suggestion...?

[Barredhen]

I have been using Kalmbach Naturals Layer Crumbles for years with no complaints. But I keep dealing with messy hen tear ends (not quite what I'd call the pictures of gleet I've seen online) and last year for half of the year we had hens with bald butts, I used Neutrena Feather Fixer and got rid of one who I thought was a feather picker. They've been fine until recently, I have three balding butts again. I thought the Feather Fixer made their necks fat (if that makes sence at all) so I quite using that when their feathers grew back last year.

They get ProBios and ACV, been dewormed, they have a 100x100 fenced in area to roam, they usually get leftover meat and fresh veggies but I've stopped that for a couple weeks in case it contributed to their messy rear ends.

I am thinking I'll try switching feeds?

Any preferences or referrals between...
Nature's Best Organic Layer Pellet
Nutrena Nature Wise Layer Crumble or Pellet
Or Purina Orgainic?

These three are easily accessible at my local TSC. Otherwise my next option is just a mix the Amish down the road sell, or the feed they're on. Thoughts??? Thankyou.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Sounds like you are feeding well for the most part. It may not be feed related at all.
I would have a fecal sample read by an avian vet or farm animal vet.
I had a problem once with really messy feathers around the cloaca in one flock. I was tempted to worm them. Instead, I had a fecal sample read only to discover they didn't have worms at all, but rather they had a severe clostridia bacterial infection which he gave me an antibiotic for. It cleared up the problem in short order after administering the entire course.
It is always best to know what a problem is rather than guess.

 

[Shamo Hybrid]

You could ask the Amish what all goes into their feed and see if their chickens are healthy and thriving..... and plus it's better to support small businesses rather than big corporations. But with that said, I would be wary not knowing what goes into these feed and if it covers all the nutritional needs that chickens have. I've been wanting to try a local feed here but haven't quite pulled the trigger yet because as I said, you just don't know what all goes into making it.

Just stick to big store brands, you really can't go wrong with them as everyone and their mother uses them.... just make sure you get a fresh bag.

 

[Barredhen]

Thankyou, I will see if my vet does decals on Chickens.

As far as the feed a neighbor and a friend use the Amish feed and my hens seem out outlay both of their flocks by double. But my coop is also cleaner, larger and they're spoiled so I haven't known for sure.

I've been leaning towards Nature's Best organic, probably just because they claim to have great feed but wondered what people's thoughts were.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Comparing production of different flocks is sometimes like comparing apples to oranges unless all flocks are the same age and same breed.
You can't compare production of 1 year old leghorns with 3 year old brahmas and glean any useful data from it.
As Shamo Hybrid mentioned, if you don't know what is in the feed, you don't know if it is complete nutritionally.
People that mix their own feed will perhaps put a blend of ingredients together and possibly even include a vitamin/mineral supplement. However, unless they assay the feed in a lab, they don't know what the amino acid levels are in addition to other nutrients at the levels chickens need. Most feed is vegetarian and since grains and legumes will still be deficient in some essential amino acids, feed companies need to add them in synthetic form to meet the needs of the poultry.

 

[Barredhen]

OK - thanks
I'll try a fecal test. Then feed change if we need to.
The hens I'm comparing are all standard larger layer mixes, we all have the same breeds just different mixes of them and varies between 1 and 4 years old, I have less than half of the number of chickens they do. I assumed if I'm getting more eggs from 9 hens then they do from 25 I shouldn't switch to their feed LOL

 

[Cindy in PA]

Nature's Best is a good feed. I fed it many times over the last 10 years. My hens always laid well & it seemed to last longer than other feeds.

 

[Barredhen]

Shoot!
Our vet cannot do any more than look for worms in a fecal.

 

[Kiki]

Shoot!
Our vet cannot do any more than look for worms in a fecal.

That is better than nothing.

 

[Barredhen]

Fecal came back 0 worm eggs and very few cocci. Said we could try treating them with DiMethox which I do have, does anyone know the dosage? Egg withdraw?
Didn't otherwise think their symptoms sounds like cocci, or anything else really and doesn't have other suggestions.

Maybe I'll try switching to Nature's Best