Problems getting feed...found 24%

[Buttercup Chillin]

I ordered Gamefeed Startena. It didn't come in. I got the last bag of Purina Startina, 2 weeks ago. I also have growing chicken chicks. They have been out of grower Feed so have been giving them some of the Startena.

Just came back from Feed store. No Startena and no chick grower or Hen Feed. TSC is out of flock raiser. NO one has Gamefeed anywhere around here. The Purina feedstore order comes in tomorrow afternoon. I have enough food thru Fri or so. BUT if no Gamebird Feed comes in what can I give them to eat.

I have 150# of Gamebird Layer/Breeder
I have about 25# of Layer food- Chicken (All Chickens and Ducks are about to go on Seeds, only when this runs out)
I have and can get more of Oats, Milo, Cracked Corn.

I also have in MY food pantry, 50# or so each of Millet , Brown Rice and Buckwheat along with 5# or so of Amaranth and some Quinoa. Also, split green peas and black and pinto beans. I could make up a seed mix and grind it coarse for my 74 babies.

My feed store isn't really a feed store its a gas station that carries some livestock feed. Mostly Chicken, Horse and Hog feed. Grains would be short term no more than a week, just until I can track down some Gamefeed.

Someones got to have it somewhere. Or do they stop mixing it in the Fall? It's not fall yet.

Any Suggestions.

Just found out where I can get Gamebird Grower - 22% protein. They don't ever carry Startena though. Going later this afternoon. If I don't give it to my Babies, I'll give it the the 9 week old chicken chicks. I'll get a 100#'s.

But will still need to up the protein, ground up Kitten Food?

 

[Stellar]

You can add hard boiled egg mashed into their food. That has a lot of protein. I feed my babies that when my feed store is out of gamebird feed (which happens more often than I would like) Sometimes you got to improvise

But the hard boiled egg has been working well under emergencies.

 

[Denninmi]

Read this post, and I just wanted to post one comment re quinoa -- if it isn't well rinsed, it has saponins in the seed that are toxic in quantity. It depends on whether or not it is pre-rinsed quinoa, most brands are but a few are not. I don't know if it would be a problem for birds or not, but thought I should mention this just to be on the safe side.

 

[Buttercup Chillin]

Well, unfortunately my feed store was out of everything but Medicated Chick Starter as they did not get hardly any of their order in. I don't know, maybe the mill is having problems.

So, I just got back from a little road trip and picked up Nutrina Layer pellets for my Chicken Hens. I picked up 100 # of the Nutrina Nature Wise Gamebird Grower its 24% according to the tag. They never carry the Startena. Evidently they have a breeder that buys from them and doesn't use it.

This 24% is something that they always carry along with the Molena? Breeder/Layer (Itty Bitty Pellets). Right now I am good on that and will use the Grower for wintering the breeders I guess, cause they don't get the Molena in in the winter.

I think I will change over to them for the quail. It has been horrid trying to get Gamebird feed for the Quail. I order and they forget or it doesn''t come in. I need it to be there when I order it. So now my Chicken chicks are going on the quail food because at $16.50 a bag its cheaper and has more protein than the Chick Grower.

I know I still need to up the protein still for the Jumbo quail just a tad. So until I can find some Soy Meal or something else I'll give them scrambled eggs every other day. Or just go with what I can get and leave it at that.

Who thought I would be raising chickens for their eggs to help feed my Quail. Actually that's kind of funny.

Hope my ducks start laying soon, the baby quail need their eggs....

 

[Stellar]

Quote:
Haha everyone has to work for the quail now! That is quite funny! I hope you find some feed.

 

[Buttercup Chillin]

Denninmi: I know about the saponins, yucky tasting (actually taste salty or fishy to me) I have used Quinoa for many years. It is one of the highest Protein grains. The grain I have is prewashed but I wash it again anyway. Make up a bread with it and it goes great with fish.

I have actually used it ground into a flour and mixed with water to feed a 4 day old abandoned kitten that I found with a young Black Lab puppy. I finally got with a rescue group, they said it was probably 4 days old when I found it and the pup was 3-4 weeks old. At any rate I fostered them and they found them nice homes. It grew up to be a very healthy fiesty cat. The pup grew up to be a well mannered Black Labrador that now lives in a hugh house with several boys to play with.

Based on this I would not be afraid to give even unwashed Quinoa to the baby quail. This is if the breeder quails would eat it, as is, first. I would test it on them before giving it to the babies. But I don't think I need to now. Actually the Amaranth is the highest protein or Chia Seeds but they are both very expensive.

Tell you what, the chickens and ducks go Nutso for the Buckwheat and it is high in protein and has all the amino acids. All of these seeds (and the above in the 1st (post) along with Flax get coarse ground and fed as treats to my young chicks and ducklings. Haven't done so with any of the quail, yet.

Quaillady : I think my search is over. Its a short trip to get the 24%. I don't want to go farther (probably 35 miles) for a few more grams of protein. They just won't grow out quite as fast, that's ok. Nutrena is a good feed I think. Well I'm about to find out next week, when I start adding it to their feed this weekend.

Who knows, maybe when the truck comes in tomorrow afternoon it will be full of Gamebird Startena and Chick Grower feed. I'll check Friday. 150# of feed doesn't last long around here.

 

[shelleyd2008]

22% protein is fine, they don't need it that high. My babies get 20% flock raiser and my adults get 1/2 16% purina Layena and 1/2 22% purina turkey grower, so about 19% protein.

 

[First To Hatch]

You don't have a tractor supply near you?

 

[Buttercup Chillin]

Thanks ShellyD - thats what I was thinking the Nutrina should work out good and they carry it all the time. Less headache for me. I can hatch when I want and not have to worry about ordering and if it is really going to come in.

Next Spring when the Breeders start in again, I may get them the Molena, if I can afford it. I didn't ask the price as I have 150# of Breeder feed now.

I have bought Turkey starter here before and it was whole seeds. Boy was I surprised, I still think the bag was miss labeled. I have a small grain mill, that really isn't recommended to grind corn with. So I don't think that is an option. The chickens liked it though. I bought it for the Ducks when I first got them but they would never touch it. Well, they ate the wheat out of it and the chickens cleaned up everything else for me. But they gobbled grit like it was going out of style. Geeeeesh.

Well, sounds like I could give my Breeders a small seed scratch mix with the grower, to bring it down to 16-19# Protein. I have a spreadsheet I set up for figuring the protein on a scratch mix. (I use that to mix my scratch for the chickens- Wheat Free). I could do that easy enough. Bringing Protein level down is alot easier than trying to get it up without soymeal or fishmeal or some high form of protein to add into it.

I never dreamed it would be such a problem to find these little ones food. But its because of the numbers I keep and hatch.

Have to admit, he was real happy to hear that I kept 20 breeders and actually had them. Wasn't just planning on getting them or something. And now I know I won't be able to get Breeder feed in the winter, so they definately get to have a long rest. Whether I like it or not. That's OK, too.

First to hatch -Yes to TSP, they are out of flock raiser. They don't carry much of it. They have a lot of medicated stuff but nothing that I can use for quail babies.

 

[First To Hatch]

They don't have this there? http://www.tractorsupply.com/livest...umor-reg-chick-starter-24-feed-50-lb--5078197 I used to feed that to my adults and chicks. Because it seems like the people that feed the higher protien have bigger birds, and thats the most protein I could get from a bag of feed without buying a ton from some a company that'll grind it to 28%