Purina Layena

[21hens-incharge]

Product has a 6 month shelf life, not sure if that's TSC or Purina policy......I complain at store and sometimes they order fresh.

Yeah. I did let the manager know it was past it's shelf life. The next week that same feed was still there. It had a mill date of May and it was November when I was there.

 

[Symi77]

I fed my chickens almost one year with Purina Layena Crumbles. Almost all this time my chickens had dirty butt
This was driving me crazy , so I ask the owner of a local independant feed store / tack shop. She told me to put apple cider vinegar into their water. This didn't really help much.
Then one day we went at local Tractor Supply to buy Purina Layena Crumbles . All of the bags of Purina feed were not very fresh based on the dates printed on the bags.
I decided at that time to buy Nutrena Naturewise layer feed.
Ever since I quit using Purina feed I have no longer had any problems with dirty butts

 

[ValerieJ]

I fed my chickens almost one year with Purina Layena Crumbles. Almost all this time my chickens had dirty butt
This was driving me crazy , so I ask the owner of a local independant feed store / tack shop. She told me to put apple cider vinegar into their water. This didn't really help much.
Then one day we went at local Tractor Supply to buy Purina Layena Crumbles . All of the bags of Purina feed were not very fresh based on the dates printed on the bags.
I decided at that time to buy Nutrena Naturewise layer feed.
Ever since I quit using Purina feed I have no longer had any problems with dirty butts

That's good information to have!

 

[Cluckingitup]

I fed my chickens almost one year with Purina Layena Crumbles. Almost all this time my chickens had dirty butt
This was driving me crazy , so I ask the owner of a local independant feed store / tack shop. She told me to put apple cider vinegar into their water. This didn't really help much.
Then one day we went at local Tractor Supply to buy Purina Layena Crumbles . All of the bags of Purina feed were not very fresh based on the dates printed on the bags.
I decided at that time to buy Nutrena Naturewise layer feed.
Ever since I quit using Purina feed I have no longer had any problems with dirty butts

I am now using the Nutrena Naturewise flock feed, since my TSC is only stocking Purina Flock crumbles and only seem to ever have one bag available. (I wanted the pellets.) I got the Nutrena since that was the only pellet food, and they seem to like it. I was just showing off my chickens this morning and the person commented how fluffy their butts were! (and I took notice to how clean they were)

 

[aart]

Nutrena Naturewise flock feed

I looked at this the other day, but the mfg date was even older than the FR.

 

[Kat MacK]

I looked at this the other day, but the mfg date was even older than the FR.

I don't buy feed at our local TSC - it always seems to be past date, and I can get as good or better prices at two of our local feed stores. One of these sometimes has weevils in its feed, though, so I usually make the trek across town to the one furthest away - it's worth it. I feed starter/grower (22 percent protein) with a side of oyster shell because I seem to be adding chicks about every six months these days, along with yard clipping/pullings and kitchen scraps.

 

[aart]

I don't buy feed at our local TSC - it always seems to be past date, and I can get as good or better prices at two of our local feed stores. One of these sometimes has weevils in its feed, though, so I usually make the trek across town to the one furthest away - it's worth it. I feed starter/grower (22 percent protein)

It's really not about price, IMO.
Are these feed mills that grind and mix the chicken feeds....do they date their products?

 

[Chullicken]

I started using Purina Leyena after seeing it here and I had all the issues you experienced during the trial period. My small flock of one Icelandic rooster, One BJG and Six Sex Links. I tried with two bags and the following, supplemented with Grass Clippings/Mealworms/Rolled Oats/Scratch as treats I observed;

1) Increased food waste/fodder
2) Egg Shell quality decreased, calcium deposits, cracking, discoloration and general thinness of the shell thickness
3) Birds didn't seem to gain anything from it, it seemed like they were hungry all of the time. More than usual.

In no way am I saying Purina's product is inferior, this was not a highly documented and controlled test. Just my observations while spending time with the girls. I honestly think environment and location may have a large role to play in it as well given some areas are more naturally nutrient-rich than other places. For me though, its just not a product line I would recommend or use again.

 

[Chullicken]

I don't buy feed at our local TSC - it always seems to be past date, and I can get as good or better prices at two of our local feed stores. One of these sometimes has weevils in its feed, though, so I usually make the trek across town to the one furthest away - it's worth it. I feed starter/grower (22 percent protein) with a side of oyster shell because I seem to be adding chicks about every six months these days, along with yard clipping/pullings and kitchen scraps.

I've never actually looked at the expiration dates from TSC...I'll have to be better about that. I do know I recently purchased a Flock Block, got it home and it was dryer than the Sierra Dessert. They should be fairly moist and with a little muscle, you can break pieces off it. This one I now have to use a hammer and chisel to break off pieces. I'd say its garbage.

 

[Chullicken]

Sorry, Yes that is what I mean by "litter"

I think the OP means food dropped on the ground. Guessing here, but that's how I took it.