I’m getting chicks, which starter food should I use?🐥

[Iluveggers]

organic sources of Methionine are very hard to come by in the plant world -

I have to ask why this is. What sources of Methionine are feed companies using that can’t be found in organic food?

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I have to ask why this is. What sources of Methionine are feed companies using that can’t be found in organic food?

Basic biology. Almost every ingredient commonly used in chicken feed is plant-based, and plants tend to have low levels of Methionine. Legumes like soy tend to have the closest ratio of AA to what a chicken needs - an animal's AA ratios tend to differ significantly from a plant - but when combining a mostly right, with a lot of low Met sources, end result is a low Met feed.

and that's before you further limit your sourcing to organic crops of X Y Z

/edit and animal proteins, which tend to have good AA levels including Met are often not included in Organic feeds, and since they are often byproducts (i.e. porcine blood meal, menhaden fish meal), organic sourcing of the supply chain can be difficult.

 

[Brooks_]

I live on johns island. But we normally get feed at tractor supply Ravenel. Thank you so much

Your product line looks very similar to mine. I'll refer you back to what Storm said (below).

In Ravenel, if you are getting a small number of chickens, or the bag isn't fresh (made in the last month or so), get Purina's Flock Raiser Crumbles (5# bag) if you don't need medicated. [Assuming you've had no chickens before, and have "virgin ground", non-medicated is likely fine. Coccidia is everywhere humans have been, yes, but reflexively medicating isn't necessary unless you know (or strongly suspect) you've had a coccidia outbreak recently on your grounds. That said, it generally doesn't hurt - personal choice, informed by risk tolerance. If they fdon't have the small flockraiser (and you are buying small), get either the Purina Start/Grow (medicated or not, your call) or the Dumor Starter (medicated or not, your choice), in that order of preference.

If you are going non-Medicated, are getting a lot of chicks, and the bag is fresh, get the Purina Flock Raiser Crumbles 50# bag.

For his follow up (below), keep in mind that the Nurtena all flock is a pellet and your birds will need to older/bigger before being offered pellets. The pellets can still be used as a wet mash or if you do some crushing. Depends on how much more effort you're willing to put into it.

Follow up, if "Natural" (as the industry defines that term) is important to you, go with the Nutrena Naturewise All Flock.

Nutrena also makes a starter/grower crumble, but I've only seen 18% protein. I am a proponent of 20%, especially at chick stage.

 

[Iluveggers]

@U_Stormcrow you peaked my interest in the ingredients listing on starter-grower.

First pic is the nature’s best organic feed. Second and third are dumor and nutrena non-organic feed. All 3 have added DL-Methionine.

 

[rayrose]

I've had great success with TS Dumor 20% starter
grower, with every flock I've raised. I wouldn't use
anything else.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

@U_Stormcrow you peaked my interest in the ingredients listing on starter-grower.

First pic is the nature’s best organic feed. Second and third are dumor and nutrena non-organic feed. All 3 have added DL-Methionine. View attachment 3002505View attachment 3002506View attachment 3002507

Yes, and the levels are 0.3 (Organic), 0.5 DuMor, 0.34 Nutrena. 0.34 Purina Start & Grow as well..

The amount of dl-Methionine which can be added to an organic feed for chickens is limited by law, has been reduced once, and a motivated, somewhat funded, group is seeking to have it eliminated entirely fom US animal feed supplies.

The recommendations for Methionine for starting chicks? UGA Poultry Science Dept puts it at 0.5% for boilers (first three weeks), drops it to 0.45% for three weeks, then returns it to 0.5% for finishing. For layers, its 0.45% first six weeks, 0.35% thereafter.

NRC USDA says 0.5/0.38/0.32 (Broilers), same time periods 0.62 - 0.5% for high yield broilers (weekly changes), and this? well, you should read it yourself. Its a meta of various studies related to laying hen nutrition, more recent than the USDA/NRCS data.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

you might find this a further, interesting read. National Organics Standards Board policy letter to the National Organic Program

 

[Iluveggers]

Thank you for the info @U_Stormcrow

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Thank you for the info @U_Stormcrow

That's what BYC is for!

 

[3KillerBs]

The amount of dl-Methionine which can be added to an organic feed for chickens is limited by law, has been reduced once, and a motivated, somewhat funded, group is seeking to have it eliminated entirely fom US animal feed supplies.

Activists trying to ruin stuff that they don't truly understand for everyone is one of my pet peeves.