⠀ Needing advice on feed!

[matt44644]

Other than the yucca in #2 they look almost the same.

 

[DaveOmak]

Looks like the one is "organic" and has a higher price...

Personally, I feed Purina because they take the time to do a full analysis of the "necessary" vitamins and minerals... I figure, if they are willing to do that, they are proud of their product.... One manufacturer I wrote to about the minor ingredients, would not respond to my query, "how much"... They replied with a label that looked like yours..

 

[matt44644]

Looks like the one is "organic" and has a higher price...

Personally, I feed Purina because they take the time to do a full analysis of the "necessary" vitamins and minerals... I figure, if they are willing to do that, they are proud of their product.... One manufacturer I wrote to about the minor ingredients, would not respond to my query, "how much"... They replied with a label that looked like yours..

Neither of the two are organic.

 

[DaveOmak]

I don't see how 1 could be better than the other for shell quality when you are adding egg shells and oyster shells to supplement their feed...

Try a bag of Purina Layena and see if your egg problems lessen.... worth the time and effort..... I pay $16.49 for a 50# bag...

 

[draye]

I don't see how 1 could be better than the other for shell quality when you are adding egg shells and oyster shells to supplement their feed...  

Try a bag of Purina Layena and see if your egg problems lessen....   worth the time and effort.....  I pay $16.49 for a 50# bag...

I checked yesterday on the Layena, basically the same as what I'm feeding already.

 

[DaveOmak]

I checked yesterday on the Layena, basically the same as what I'm feeding already.

Then what is your question and why are you looking to change....

Your feed does not measure several ingredients that ARE important to egg laying and chick health...

 

[draye]

Then what is your question and why are you looking to change.... 

Your feed does not measure several ingredients that ARE important to egg laying and chick health...

My original question was if there were enough difference in the formulas to pay the difference. Around here there us not too much choice o. Feed brands. Purinea Layena is very close to what I'm feeding now and neatly $5.00 difference is too much for something that is basically the same.

16% is the highest protein level for layer peets around here. I guess the answer has already been given pretty much. Thanks for trying.

 

[pdirt]

Sometimes it can be worth just trying out different feeds and see how your chickens do on it. Then decide if it is worth the price. Some benefits of a better feed won't be noticed except over the long term, but in my limited experience, I would think you would notice a difference in shells fairly quickly.

 

[DrMikelleRoeder]

Hi SizzleQueen!

As some others have noted on this thread, what you feed your birds depends on your goals for your flock.

If you are raising your birds for eggs, there are many great complete organic diets out there. But it is important that you are feeding a complete feed. A complete feed is any product that has been formulated to meet all of the nutritional requirements for a bird at a certain stage of life in average living conditions. For layers, a 16% protein diet should keep your birds happy and healthy. If your feed is a true layer feed, the additional oyster shell may not be necessary, as layer feeds contain increased calcium to support egg shell strength and quality. One thing to consider is that when a feed is a mixture of individual components (corn, seeds, etc.) it does provide the opportunity for birds to sort through and eat those components that they like the best, which can lead to incomplete or unbalanced nutrition.

Complete feeds should make up at least 90% of a bird’s diet to ensure a balanced nutrient profile. I am sure your ladies love their treats, but we recommend limiting this to no more than 10% of their diet to make sure that they are getting the most out of their complete layer feed.

 

[casportpony]

Collecting info on feed here:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/961881/informal-survey-what-do-you-feed-and-why


-Kathy