Is it normal for chick starter to be this powdery?

[VinnyVincent]

Hello,
The last time I bought chick starter, I bought a bag of DuMor non-organic from the breeder. This time I wanted to do something good for the chickens, so I went to the organic feed store and spent more than twice as much on local feed. When I opened the bag, it was about 80% powder. The entire 50lb bag looks like the powder that was left in the very bottom of the DuMor bag. I've attached a pic of it. The stuff in the bucket is the local feed, and the stuff in my hand is the DuMor feed.

I tried feeding and handful to them and when they initially tried eating it, it was so powdery that they started sneezing. After that they wouldn't go near it. I tried contacting the feed company and they would not respond online. After multiple attempts, they responded telling me to call them. I feel like they might just be trying to get me to call so they can BS me into thinking this is acceptable.

Am I off base here? Is this how organic feed normally looks?

 

[rosemarythyme]

That looks like a lot of fines in the organic mix. If you hang onto it, try fermenting it when they're a little older and I bet they'll eat it up.

 

[AgnesGray]

In organic I've had everything from pellets to crumbles to fine powder that was meant to be made as a mash. The fine powdery stuff has been a pain the rear as a bunch of it gets wasted in our coops if it's dry. For chicks it can be mixed up with some room temp or slightly tepid water and that has gone better for us. The one you have seems to be a hybrid between a mash and crumbles and I don't think I'd know what to do with that.

As for them liking non-organic vs organic.... being organic doesn't change the flavor. Like organic apples vs non-organic apples. Could be they like the mix of ingredients better in the other anyway. I know if my chickens have a choice, they will peck holes in the treat bags and eat them until they're sick rather than eating the good-for-them food.

 

[Justso]

That’s what my chick starter would look like when I used to have chicks. Have you tried mixing the powder with some water? That’s what I always did with the powdery stuff at the bottom so I wouldn’t waste it and my chicks would love it!

Yes, mine think the mash (powder+water) is the best thing I've ever fed them in the whole world.

 

[VinnyVincent]

That's what mine looks like. Unfortunately, organic chick feed seems more powdery than most other feeds.

Have you been successful in getting your chickens to eat it? lol...I tried wetting it down, but after their initial bout of sneezing, I think they recognize the smell of it and they want nothing to do with it. I think I may just take it back to the feed store.

 

[ronott1]

I just tried feeding some that was wetted down to my 6 month old hens and they don't seem interested either. They pick a few of the whole grains out, then walk away from it and go over to their feeder full of the feed that costs less than half the price and start devouring that.

I really want to make this work as the feed store is far away, but at the same time I'm kind of upset that they even sell this stuff for top dollar. I tried contacting the manufacturer and they told me that they haven't had any issues with consumption and take pride in their feed that's been produced for 15 years.
I really have a hard time believing that they haven't had consumption issues. Maybe if their chickens stay locked in a coop and are starving so they have no other option.

Chickens are often not too keen on new food. I would try again tomorrow to see if they eat it then

 

[SurferchickinSB]

Yes, mine think the mash (powder+water) is the best thing I've ever fed them in the whole world.

Yep, my chickens love when I make their feed into mash too!

 

[feliciadawn]

My starter looks like that. I ferment it now, or sprinkle it over veggies with yogurt.

 

[Three Little Bunnies]

That's what mine looks like. Unfortunately, organic chick feed seems more powdery than most other feeds.

 

[Three Little Bunnies]

Have you been successful in getting your chickens to eat it? lol...I tried wetting it down, but after their initial bout of sneezing, I think they recognize the smell of it and they want nothing to do with it. I think I may just take it back to the feed store.

Mine eat it normally. It is the same type that mine were fed at the feed store, so they are used to it. They do waste a lot, though.