Kalmbach Feed - Any Reviews?

Mimi13

fuhgettaboutit
Jan 6, 2018
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Centre, AL
I have had chickens for 4 years now and I have always fed them Purina. To begin with I fed Layena when I only had layers and then switched to Flock Raiser once I had a mixed flock (age & gender).

I have ducklings and have been feeding them Purina Duck Feed (pellets that I grind up a bit for them.) I plan on feeding them this for 6-8 weeks before switching them over to the same feed I feed my chickens. One feed will be much easier since they will basically be all together.

I have been pleased with Purina FR, but I really want a pellet instead of a crumble and possibly something that may be a bit cheaper. I have 33 chickens and 5 ducklings. Most of my eggs I just give away to family, friends and neighbors, so the cost of feed is just an additional expense of my household. It’s not necessary, but I’d like to f possible. (Think of this from a woman who doesn’t work and depends on her DH to purchase feed...what I can successfully save here I can spend there! All for my birds, of course. See my point?)

I cannot find Purina FR in pellet form anywhere; however, Kalmbach does make a 20% Flock Maker in pellet and crumble...and it’s a tiny bit cheaper. (It is not my intention to change to an inferior product in order to save money.)

Here is the analysis information on Kalmbach 20% Flock Maker:
84B8F5E3-6376-4D90-82C9-44FB6EE55EFC.jpeg
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It does not include Niacin in the guaranteed analysis, only in the ingredients.

Here is the breakdown on the Purina Duck Feed.
55AC375C-27D3-480D-8A05-C961854782FC.jpeg


I know that I’ll have to add Brewers Yeast to the duck feed when I finally change the ducks over to either the Purina FR or the Kalmbach FM.

Has anyone had any experience (good and/or bad) with the Kalmbach Feed brand? Their label says they’ve been around since 1963 (almost as old as me), but I’ve never heard of them. Then again, I’ve only been feeding fowl for four years.

Any foresight is helpful and much appreciated!

Thanks in advance.
 
I know that I’ll have to add Brewers Yeast to the duck feed when I finally change the ducks over to either the Purina FR or the Kalmbach FM.
Both feeds have the necessary ingredients including niacin. From hatch throughout adulthood for Ducks, Geese and Chickens, except calcium when they begin laying according to the labels.
20200410_151854_resized_1_kindlephoto-2428771.jpg

I don't have experience with Kalmbach feeds.
I like and buy Purina Premium and Nutrena Naturewise feeds. GC
 
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Both feeds have the necessary ingredients including niacin. From hatch throughout adulthood for Ducks, Geese and Chickens, except calcium when they begin laying according to the labels.
View attachment 2083566
I don't have experience with Kalmbach feeds.
I like and buy Purina Premium and Nutrena Naturewise feeds. GC
GC, let me preface this post with this first. In no way is what I’m about to say meant badly towards you or anyone else for that matter. And I do, truly, appreciate your response.

In my experience since joining the ‘chicken world,’ I have read, seen, and purchased things poultry related that say one thing or another that proves to be false, completely false. The one thing that is still stuck in my craw is the prefab coop I bought for 6-8 chickens. I don’t even think 8 bantams would fit. I know that 4 large fowl barely did for a very short time.

I said that to say, I realize the advertising for the Kalmbach feed says that it is for ducks, and all other poultry types as well, but is it really? All by itself or with additional niacin? I did think I would even have to add the brewers yeast to the Purina FR as well, so adding it to the Kalmbach wouldn’t be any problem.

My main concern is I plain old do not know. It would be wonderful if the feed contained enough niacin to sufficiently maintain my ducks’ needs without adding additional. That’s what I want to know, with all the advertising BS removed.

Does that make any sense?
 
Can't answer your duck feed question, but you can message on FB, call or email Kalmbach & they will answer your questions. I have tried several kinds of Kalmbach feed in the last couple years & the smell is always better than most feeds & my birds have done well on all of it.
 
Can't answer your duck feed question, but you can message on FB, call or email Kalmbach & they will answer your questions. I have tried several kinds of Kalmbach feed in the last couple years & the smell is always better than most feeds & my birds have done well on all of it.
Thank you very much. I’m gonna go ahead and try it I believe.
 
We feed Kalmbach all-flock and are happy with it. We only have chickens. We’ve tried other brands, and have noticed the birds doing better on Kalmbach. The pellets are fairly uniform in length, and at the bottom of the bag there remains only a small amount of fines. We’ve been feeding Kalmbach for over 1 year. But we’ve had chickens over two years and quail before that, so we’ve used several brands of feed.


I do not generally buy the Purina feeds for a few reasons: it is a bit pricier bc I can only get it at TSC, I’ve seen bugs flying around the feed aisle at TSC (but not typical), so I don’t want to bring feed bugs home, and I’ve gotten a bad bag of Purina before, so would rather not have that hassle. However, the Purina is a good brand, and I would be ok with that feed.

the Kalmbach is an Ohio company, and seems like we get good dates from the feed store (I’m in western Ohio). I’ve been to a presentation by a Kalmbach feed scientist, and it was an informative presentation.
 
@Mimi13 In my opinion Kalmbach Feed is superior to Purina so you are not skimping by any means. I have personally used the Kalmbach flock maker in pellet and it is a great feed. I no longer have Turkeys so I went back to a chicken feed. The only issue I had was not with Kalmbach Feeds it self but the place I purchased from had old stock.
 

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