Nature's Best Organic Egg Layer Pellets

[ThePrancingPullet]

Hello!
I have been researching feed for our flock, due to arrive next June, and this affordable Organic layer feed option came up. The girls are going to have access to a triangular paddock of roughly 70 square feet, filled with dried leaves, woodchips, and some organic grains thrown down for sprouting (i.e. Rye, not intended for consumption until it has sprouted and the grass is growing). I am just curious to know if anyone has either positive or negative experience with the aforementioned brand. Also, is grit nessasary if they have access to a paddock where dirt, bugs, leaves, and woodchips abound (also, probably small stones.)
I appreciate any help,
ThePrancingPullet

 

[rjohns39]

I'll leave it to you for the comparison. Here's what I use:
Non-GMO Layer Feed Composition
Crude Protein: 16%
Crude Fat: 7%
Crude Fiber: 6%

Non-GMO Layer Feed Ingredients
Corn, Roasted Soybeans, Oats, Calcium Carbonate, Dehydrated Alfalfa, DiCalcium Phosphate, Dehydrated Seaweed Meal, Salt, Sodium Selenite, Vitamins A, D3, and E Supplements, DL Methionine, Choline Chloride and Citrate, Menadione Sodium Bi-Sulfite Complex, d-Pantothenic Acid, Niacin, Riboflavin, Pyridoxine, Thiamin, Vitamin B12, Biotin, Folic Acid, Polysaccharide Complexes of Iron, Manganese, Zinc, Copper and Cobalt, Yeast Culture, Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Product, Bacillus Lichenformis, Bacillus Subtilus, Lactobacillus Iactis, Streptococcus Faecium, Protease Enzyme (dried Aspergillus Oryzae Fermentation Extract).

That said, my birds get plenty of grass, bugs and other greens. Yes you want to provide the proper size grit and oyster shell. If you have a co-op, the 50 pound bags are a way better bargain. 25# bag of grit from TSC $14.00, 50# bag from Co-op $19.00, I think I pay about $6 for 50# of oyster shell.

Also, these folks can point you to someone close to you with solid feed if you're interested. http://www.fertrell.com/index.html

How old will your girls be? I don't move mine from grower to layer until they start laying.

 

[ThePrancingPullet]

Starting at around 22 weeks (this is next November 2018) depending on when they start laying.

 

[rjohns39]

Starting at around 22 weeks (this is next November 2018) depending on when they start laying.

ok, so you're getting them after they start laying. You'll want at least a bag of what ever feed they have been on so you can transition them to what ever you decide. You'll want to mix their old feed with your new feed over about a weeks time. Change of environment, change of house, change of run, change of food, and change of owner is a lot of change. The only change that you can manage is food.

 

[ThePrancingPullet]

Oh, misunderstanding. They arriving (as chicks) in June, but they won't start laying until November.

 

[rjohns39]

Oh, misunderstanding. They arriving (as chicks) in June, but they won't start laying until November.

Ok. If you're getting day olds, you're going to want to start them on something in the neighborhood of 22% protein for the first 3 or 4 weeks. If they are heritage, there are a couple of variations on this formula... After the 22% you'll likely want to move them to an 18% grower (aka broiler) then when they are due to start laying, you'll want to move to layer at about 16% or so protein. If you're getting heritage birds, PM me and I can give you the SPN feed paradigm... I'm still trying to implement it but finding it terribly hard to find ingredients.

 

[Cindy in PA]

Nature's Best is a good organic feed. Been using it off & on for years. Made in good ole PA, where I am from! Always found it lasts longer for my girls than other feeds. The pellets are a nice size if you go that route. They are supposedly coming out with a no soy layer feed next month, but it's taking forever! When they started selling in TSC my feed store dropped it & just carry Purina Organic which I didn't like. All round good feed.