flock raiser or chick feed????

[Friend2Fowl]

I raise my ducks, chicks, quail, geese, and guineas on flock raiser. The ducks DO need niacin in addition to the flock raiser. I have had quite a few that started developing leg problems with just the flock raiser.

 

[Hennyhandler]

So if you have to give extra niacin whether you use chicken feed or flock raiser than whats the difference picking between the two? Is it the protein...? I am having the hardest time making a decision if you haven't already guessed that.

I also saw at the feed store chick starter that says it is for chicks and ducklings though I have heard that even thought they say that sometimes it is just the minimum of needs and not really the best for them. So what to do? I feel like I am going in circles.

 

[bigdawg]

do they need niacin if there able to eat grass during the day. mine are three weeks old and they love there daily trips to the creek where they swim and eat lots of grass and water cress.

 

[tomzr2]

It is fortified with high levels of niacin so that it can also be used for waterfowl. Purina Mills

Flock Raiser

SunFresh

Recipe provides an entire mixed flock of chickens, ducks, turkeys and geese with top nutrition, all in one bag.

Above is straight from Purina's website

 

[goosedragon]

Quote:

 

[Friend2Fowl]

Quote:
The flock raiser has higher protein, and for me, it's about $.30 cheaper for 50# than chick starter. Granted, $.30 is not much of a difference, but when you are buying 4-6 bags a month, every month, it does add up

 

[Friend2Fowl]

Quote:
I haven't checked their website, and I'm not disagreeing with you. I know from my own experiences that feeding ducklings flock raiser, without extra niacin, has caused problems with their legs. After supplementing extra niacin in their diets the ducklings' legs have 'straightened up'.
Chicken-chicks can't have high levels of niacin, and I use the flock raiser as a chick starter for my chickens. If the niacin is high enough to be beneficial for ducklings, it would be too much for chicks. Just my $.02