Opinions on feed from my local mill?

[Tervuren]

Hi, I am an anxious first time chicken owner. I have 5, 8 week old chicks that are on Purina Medicated chick starter. In the next few weeks I’d like to start transitioning them to my local feed mill’s pullet developer. Just want to make sure this looks like good, high quality feed in the eyes of people with more experience than me. I’m sure it’s fine, but I wouldn’t want to feed the equivalent of Old Roy lol. The website is here- http://meridianmill.com/products-for-poultry. And I have pics of the tags for the pullet developer and the two layer feeds. Just to note these chickens are primarily pets, who happen to provide me eggs. So, my main goal is for them to have long happy lives, I’m not trying to get the most eggs out of them or slaughtering them for meat when they’ve declined in egg production. Thanks!

 

[rosemarythyme]

Wish they had calcium content listed but looks like it should be fine. I don't know if I'd bother switching between the 2 layer feeds should you choose to use those once they're laying, if you do the 20% would be my choice of those two.

 

[Lemon-Drop]

It looks pretty good... I wonder why they use vegetable protein?

I too wonder the calcium percentage.

Otherwise looks great!

 

[rosemarythyme]

It looks pretty good... I wonder why they use vegetable protein?

Most feeds are vegetable protein nowadays, as animal protein is a lot more costly.

 

[Lemon-Drop]

Most feeds are vegetable protein nowadays, as animal protein is a lot more costly.

Oh, ok.

I just guess on the feed I get it doesn’t say right at the top.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Oh, ok.

I just guess on the feed I get it doesn’t say right at the top.

Nowadays you can assume chicken feed has vegetarian protein unless it specifies otherwise. A few brands use fish protein (Scratch & Peck), insect protein (Grubbly, S&P pellets), or "animal by-products", but the price tag usually reflects that.

 

[Red-Stars-in-RI]

Yeah, the vegetable protein thing is the perfect confluence of “it’s cheaper” and “marketing”(people don’t understand so assume it’s better).

That being said, the veggie protein is used in most feeds and those feeds look good. I’d agree with others that the 20% is a good idea as is oyster shell on the side.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Definite free choice oyster shell. From the package, it looks like the 20% uses more wheat in the mix than corn, the 16% and the grower both use more corn than wheat (though the grower in a different ratio), and then everything else seems the same, and all in trace amounts - likely a vitamin powder.

You could keep them on the grower all their lives, and free choice oyster, or go to the 20% and free choice oyster. Their molting, next year, will likely go a little easier on the 20% but its calcium content is unknown - and potentially hard on any roosters you might maintain, or pre-laying birds if you add more hatchlings in the future and can't separate foods. The 17% grower is perfectly adequate protein and assumedly less calcium so you don't have the build up concerns in the kidneys of birds that don't, can't, or aren't laying.

Beyond that, its guess work, budget, and risk management.

 

[kerbotx]

I don't know why you wouldn't just keep them on starter until point of lay; the 18% protein is good for their growing bodies. If the 'medicated' part is an issue for you, you could always switch to the non-medicated Purina Start & Grow. I don't like that those feed tags don't list the calcium min/max, or everything else that most other labels include, but since they're local, I'm sure you could just ask.

 

[Tervuren]

Thanks for all the responses! Glad to know the feed is good and I can support a local business! I'll shoot them an email to ask about the calcium content.