Switching food - issues to look for

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MarlaMac

MarlaMac

Songster
Aug 14, 2022
613
1,101
216
Central Texas
Good morning and Merry Christmas Eve!

I have a slight issue. My flock is currently on chick starter crumbles- 20% from Texas Naturals Feeds. I am running low. I planned a trip to town to buy feed yesterday, but when I got to the AgMart (the only local shop that carries this feed), they had decided to take yesterday for Christmas holiday. Imagine my horror sitting in their parking lot thinking why didn't they tell me they were going to do this? :gig

That left me in a bind. The local petco had Kalmbach Flock Maker - which is also 20%, but the formula is completely different. I have been looking to switch from Texas Naturals for some time b/c of the cost ($38 for 50 pounds). I bought the Kalmbach and started integrating it into their feed yesterday afternoon.

I did a 25% ratio of new food to 75% old food. I think you are suppose to start a little slower. I will also have to rush them into the new food b/c I only have about 4 days left of the old.

What issues might I see with such a quick turn to the new food?

Also, is the Kalmbach a good food?

Thanks and Merry Christmas!

Edited - I have 14 layers and 1 rooster - rooster is almost 2, layers are between 24 weeks and 2 years.
 
MarlaMac said:
Good morning and Merry Christmas Eve!

I have a slight issue. My flock is currently on chick starter crumbles- 20% from Texas Naturals Feeds. I am running low. I planned a trip to town to buy feed yesterday, but when I got to the AgMart (the only local shop that carries this feed), they had decided to take yesterday for Christmas holiday. Imagine my horror sitting in their parking lot thinking why didn't they tell me they were going to do this? :gig

That left me in a bind. The local petco had Kalmbach Flock Maker - which is also 20%, but the formula is completely different. I have been looking to switch from Texas Naturals for some time b/c of the cost ($38 for 50 pounds). I bought the Kalmbach and started integrating it into their feed yesterday afternoon.

I did a 25% ratio of new food to 75% old food. I think you are suppose to start a little slower. I will also have to rush them into the new food b/c I only have about 4 days left of the old.

What issues might I see with such a quick turn to the new food?

Also, is the Kalmbach a good food?

Thanks and Merry Christmas!
Click to expand...
I don't think you will have any issues. Kalmbach has a good reputation. I've used it occasionally and my birds like it. I tend to stay with a flock raiser food for life because I have a multi generation flock.
 
I've switched abruptly several times with no digestive issues.

They had trouble going from ground meal to crumbles that disintegrated to paste when it was wet. This was when I was trying to ferment their food. It was also when they were tiny chicks. I never figured out if the texture was the problem or if it was the taste or the novelty. I didn't force them to eat it because I decided I'd rather feed the ground meal anyway.

The next time I switched from ground meal, it was to pellets. I eased them into eating that texture by hand feeding a few pellets at a time. It took them several days to figure out how to position the pellets so they would go down. It may have gone faster if I just filled their bowl.
 

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