help chosing a feed

[HSerChickLady]

So after researching the local options all weekend i'm not finding anything available to me that is fantastic. So here are my options:


Tractor Supply is the easiest for us to get to. There are several stores in our area plus several near where my husband works which is great when factoring gas prices. Our only choices with them are:
-DuMor (which i'm not entirely thrilled with but will use if it's my best option)
-Purina (our stores have Start & Grow medicated, Flock Raiser, Layena)

There's a hardware store in town that carries Agway feeds. Sometimes they are out though which is why i stopped going there. They carry Chick Starter (website says NOT to feed to ducks though), Chick Grower, Layer, and the Game feeds (very high protein levels!).

Then about 40 minutes away there's a farm store that carries Blue Seal feeds. They have medicated chick starter, game bird starter, Grower-Cal, and layer. We don't shop in that town so this would be a special trip each time. I know this is what my mom used for Pekins and an Indian Runner and they were healthy birds. They also have custom milled for them feeds and offer a non-medicated starter/grower and a layer feed, both are 20% protein.

Finally, there's a Mennonite farm store about a half hour away that sells Keystone feeds. I don't have any information on their offerings yet as the company doesn't have a website, but my mother in law is going to stop by and see what they have. This would be a special trip for us, but my mother in law would be able to stop by there for us too on her way here weekends if we can't get there ourselves.

Noplace has any waterfowl specific feeds.

Thanks for the help. This is making my head spin.

 

[destinduck]

Dont let it spin too bad LOL! All I use is Purina layena pellets( and other brand chicken layer pellets as well) now for the daily feed. I used to use mazuri maintenence which is strictly for waterfowl but much more expensive.But got the same results in the end. I still use the mazuri waterfowl starter for my ducklings .

 

[Tahai]

I'm planning to use Blue Seal game starter at first, then switch over to their organic layer feed.

 

[HSerChickLady]

I can't find Mazuri anyplace. The feed store i used to work at carried it but they closed years ago and noplace around ever started carrying it. I'm leaning towards the Purina feeds since i can get it the easiest of all my choices.

I wish the place that carries Blue Seal had the organic layer. They said they could order it for me but i'd have to order 6 weeks of it at a time because that's how often they get a delivery. The store i used to work at carried Blue Seal and it was a good food. My mom's ducks and my chickens all did really well with it.

 

[francmulloy]

thanks for the info....



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[Fred's Hens]

I also use a Mennonite (Old Order Amish) feed store. It is also about 50 minutes from me, but whenever life takes me in that direction, I buy 200-300 pounds of feed. Why? First, it freshly ground, bears a Hubbard Feed Mix label, and is HALF the price of either Purina or DuMor (a Purina feed, btw) and the hens do very, very well on it.

I pay $17.75 for 100 pound sack. Bring the sack back and save an additional 50 cent sack fee.

It's a "waste not, want not" philosophy.

Start with whatever is convenient, but do your pocketbook a favor and be sure you couldn't get better feed and much, much lower prices.

 

[HSerChickLady]

I'm going to see what the Mennonite store has before i settle on anything for sure. My MIL says they're prices are really good.


I just checked the Mazuri website and they list both local TSC store as dealers. I don't recall seeing anything for waterfowl in either but i'm going to look again to be certain. And i'm going to ask my mom and be sure her store doesn't have it.

 

[HSerChickLady]

The store that has the Blue Seal also has a feed custom milled for them and it's a good price. I think they said the starter/grower was $12 for 50 lbs. And i think their layer was $11.30 for 50 lbs. Not a lot cheaper but still cheaper than what i'm paying for DuMor for my hens right now.

 

[minichic]

Where in upstate NY are you? I am in the capital district and feed my chickens Green Mountain Organic layer pellets. I'm getting call ducks in the spring and will be putting them on their grower pellets. I have to travel to Bennington VT to get it, so I go over 3-4 times a year and stock up. Depending on where you live in NY state, there may be a vendor near to you. Obviously these feeds are more expensive than Purina or Dumor but the ingredient list is straight forward and USA sourced; I prefer this to Purina's label of "grain products". Who knows what is really in it.

 

[HSerChickLady]

We're about 2 hours south of Rochester-Keuka Lake area. I have found a store on the upper side of Rochester that has Blue Seal organic but that's just not feasible for us. My DH would freak if i started driving that far for feed. We're trying to find a decent mix between what is cost effective for our family and raising our animals as naturally as we can.

After talking with my mom last night and finding out what TSC carries in the store she works at i think my best choices are going to be Blue Seal and Purina with the Purina being the most cost effective and easily attainable. I think we're going to try the Purina and see how it goes with my hens while we're waiting for my ducklings and chicks to arrive. If i end up not liking it i can get some Blue Seal next.