Is Scratch and Peck feed worth the cost?

[AshleyThom]

I just placed an order for 10 adorable chicks. This is my first time having chickens and I want to make sure I’m doing everything right. I’ve done tons of research on food and the difference in price is insane. Should I go with a higher cost (higher quality?) food like Scratch and Peck or stick with something cheaper like Purina? Will it make a difference? Thank you!

 

[Mtnboomer]

I use purina. No problems at all. A friend feeds his birds Ol Roy dog food with no issues. We both free range. Chickens (in general) eat almost anything, yet are usually pretty good at avoiding the bad stuff, and if allowed to free range, they will get most of what they need from the environment if its available.
If you are choosing a conventional coop & run set up, use a medicated feed and then switch to a layer feed. I do this at 20 wks. Supplement with oyster shell.
Limit treats. I give my gals a few table scraps, leftovers from the garden, and once a month scratch corn.

 

[Lemon-Drop]

I use Purina. For a while I had 6 chickens and used scratch and peck, but now I have 16 hens and its not affordable,

 

[kerbotx]

I don't think it's worth it, especially for baby chicks. Depending on what your setup is like, be prepared for 10 baby chicks to waste up to 50% of their feed for the first couple of weeks. Playing in it, pooping in it, spilling water in it, etc. I'm no big fan of Purina products, but I do love their chick starter and Flock Raiser! Those 2 products carry my birds right through point of lay. Once their laying is established, then you're at a safe point where you can start to think about other feeds, addressing your personal preferences/needs.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I'm using from a local mill now (my flock is in the sig below, its significant, so are my feed costs), but when I started, it was about a dozen birds at a time, in batches. I was very satisfied with both the Purina and the Nutrena products, and would likely continue to use their "All Flock/Flock Raiser" offerings if I could ensure freshness at my local TSC and cost wasn't a factor.

Some people swear by Scratch & Peck.

I don't put a premium on Organic, so I'm not one of them. If you do, and its worth tripling or quadrupling your price per pound (or you plan to raise and sell organic birds), Scratch & Peck is one of the more available brands.

OTOH, if you troll the boards here, or use the search engine, you will find a number of posters have had problems with whole grain feeds generally, not just the Scratch & Peck brand. Why??? Because chickens are like picky teenagers - given the choice, they will pick out their favorite grains and leave the rest, resulting in diet imbalances.

So, no, I don't think the cost is a benefit.

 

[Starburst]

I use Purina. For a while I had 6 chickens and used scratch and peck, but now I have 16 hens and its not affordable,

Yep...and the chickens seem perfectly happy with the other brand. So I personally would say that I don’t think it’s worth the expense, especially if you have a large flock.

 

[rosemarythyme]

As U_Stormcrow noted above, it depends on how much you put a premium on organic feed.

I've used Scratch & Peck since I first started with chickens, though it's not the only feed I use. I don't prefer their chick starter for very young chicks as I feel the pieces are a little too big for young chicks/bantam chicks - it definitely needs grit to be supplied along with the feed. But I do get a bag of the starter once the chicks get older and are willing to eat fermented feed, and then past that my entire flock gets fermented grower on a daily basis along with dry pellets.

On that note, fermenting (or at least wetting) the whole grain feed is recommended, or chickens may be prone to picking out their favorite pieces and then wasting the rest. I went from maybe 5-10% waste dry, vs maybe 1% waste fermented. It's essential that they eat the powdery fines in the feed which contains much of the protein, vitamins and minerals.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

As U_Stormcrow noted above, it depends on how much you put a premium on organic feed.

I've used Scratch & Peck since I first started with chickens, though it's not the only feed I use. I don't prefer their chick starter for very young chicks as I feel the pieces are a little too big for young chicks/bantam chicks - it definitely needs grit to be supplied along with the feed. But I do get a bag of the starter once the chicks get older and are willing to eat fermented feed, and then past that my entire flock gets fermented grower on a daily basis along with dry pellets.

On that note, fermenting (or at least wetting) the whole grain feed is recommended, or chickens may be prone to picking out their favorite pieces and then wasting the rest. I went from maybe 5-10% waste dry, vs maybe 1% waste fermented. It's essential that they eat the powdery fines in the feed which contains much of the protein, vitamins and minerals.

THANK YOU for filling in the details I couldn't remember, and the additional note about wet/fermented feed and waste reduction!

 

[minou33]

I feed it fermented. If you ferment, it will go 2-3x as far and won't seem as expensive.

 

[Folly's place]

If you want to feed only organic, that is one of the choices. I've been feeding Purina Flock Raiser for a long time, with separate oyster shell for the laying hens.
For chicks, a medicated chick starter is safest, because you won't know how your site is regards to the level of coccidia in the soil. Then after the chicks have been on your ground for two or three weeks, switch to an unmedicated feed.
Most importantly, buy something that's fresh, by the mill date on each bag! Plan to use the feed within two months of the mill date, because some vitamins will be gradually lost over time in the feed.
I think that the only safe way to feed a whole grain diet is to wet or ferment it, so the birds eat everything, and don't select the yummy stuff out .
Like so many other things, the cheapest items are cheap for a reason, and the very most expensive can be marketing magic.
Purina livestock feeds, and Nutrena both have nice products, IMO.
Mary