Purina feed problem******UPDATE Page 4****** Sunday, 07/11

[HeritageHens]

Quote:
I just switched away from Nutrena and dumped the ~35 pounds of chick starter in the compost pile. My 2. 5 week old chick suffered from a massive B vitamin deficiency.

Thanks to the support of this board, I was able to save her life. I just can't imagine that anything Cargill makes is any better than Purina. I've purchased both Payback and Organic Cascade Chick Starter and will figure out which one is best for my girls.

 

[spoggy]

Quote:
This the only person here using Manna Pro? I know they used to be Carnation. I also know folks have issues with feed that contain no animal protein, but you can supplement with fish meal.

 

[annmjensen]

My latest bags of Layena were the "Pink ribbon" special bags for breast cancer - Picked them up maybe mid-December. I've noticed that the laying is way down, even for winter, (9 chickens, 1-2 eggs a day) and the pellets crumble extremely easily. It's a big mess with a lot of waste and the chickens are not happy. They look thin as well. I am doubling the scratch and supplementing with seeds and grain as well as upping the "leftovers" we give them. Have ordered some feed from an organic supplier to start using instead. Anyone else suffering from this recently?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Okay guys your making me nervous, I have never feed anything other than Purina Flock Raiser or Layena to my flock. They are healthy and I've never had a problem with Purina, except one time my bag of FR had bugs in it but the feed store took it back and gave me another one.Our feed store only sells Purina or Homestead and I have always felt that Purina was the best. I would have to travel a good piece to buy another brand, and I've never seen organic around here. The only time I've noticed my chickens not wanting to eat their pellets was when I was giving them too much scratch or scraps from the kitchen, which I have been trying to cut back on, so that they would eat a more balanced diet, which I thought I was getting in FR, doesn't anyone have anything positive to say about Purina besides me? I will have to keep feeding it till I can find a source that is better or see these problems myself.

 

[EweSheep]

No, no problems here with the pink bags. Mine are FAT and HEAVY. No laying, its winter!!!!

If you upp the scratch and leftovers, they would get spoiled on that and waste your money on feed. On certain days, they will EAT it when there are no scratch or leftovers. And too much of that good stuff isn't good for them in a long term feeding.

If they are still skinny, maybe you need to worm them while there are no eggs or very little eggs coming out.

 

[seminolewind]

Quote:
Funny (not), I've had 5 chickens in 2 years die of "starvation". or maybe gizzard impaction. They are eating Purina. I guess it's time to change.

 

[nelsonsflock]

Okay, I'm starting to worry a bit. I had my sister pick up a bag of chicken starter and she purchased a 50 lb. bag of Purina "Start and Grow". We usually have the best luck with Nutrena for our egg layers and have NOT used Purina in the past. Would anyone use the Purina "Start and Grow" for chicks?

Thanks for the help!

 

[maclady]

I have been using the Purina Start & Grow. Now I am starting to think maybe I should switch their feed. They are getting to the point where they could go onto Flock raiser but not quite to the laying stage yet. Anyone--Can you feed layers the flock raiser when they start laying and maybe supplement with oyster shell? I'm new to chickens and only have 4. Have not been able to get feed in anything less than a 50lb bag so it last awhile for me. Still on 1st bag of chick starter and they will be 12wks on Wednesday 5/11.

 

[WoodlandWoman]

They're still a long way from laying. They're also a lot larger and eating a lot more than when they were tiny chicks. So, your next bag of feed won't last as long as the first bag did. They'll probably finish it close to the time when they start to lay and you can switch them over to a layer feed then.

Some people do feed a non-layer feed and just supply oyster shell on the side. You could do it either way, when the time comes. I feed a layer feed and also have oyster shell out. My chickens free range and eat a lot of other foods, so I like to have it out in case they need it.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I still don't know what the worst thing there is about Purina? dust. I would think it all would have dust in it. I have fed nothing but Purina Flock raiser for 7 years and never had a problem with my ducks, goose or chickens. I know it's expensive but I have tried to feed the best quality feed I could afford. So unless there is someone who can show proof that Purina isn't what we have all thought it was I will stay with it. I also have chicks right now being raised by hens and feed PSnG only.