Texas Natural Feeds

[ChazzanHillel]

Are you using the pellets or scratch? My local feed store just started carrying the TN layer pellets in a small bag, which is great because I didn't want to get 50 lbs of the stuff and they not like it. I had been only feeding the scratch besides free ranging in the backyard, but they waste a lot since they don't seem to care for the oats or the peas. It also says on the bag that the scratch is not a complete feed, so I decided to try the pellets to try and cut down on waste and hopefully give a ration as it indicates. They will eat it, but don't seem very crazy about it. They will each eat about a maybe a small handful and then go on back to foraging. They sure don't hork it down like the scratch. Maybe give them time to get used to it?

 

[6of6chicks]

Are you using the pellets or scratch? My local feed store just started carrying the TN layer pellets in a small bag, which is great because I didn't want to get 50 lbs of the stuff and they not like it. I had been only feeding the scratch besides free ranging in the backyard, but they waste a lot since they don't seem to care for the oats or the peas. It also says on the bag that the scratch is not a complete feed, so I decided to try the pellets to try and cut down on waste and hopefully give a ration as it indicates. They will eat it, but don't seem very crazy about it. They will each eat about a maybe a small handful and then go on back to foraging. They sure don't hork it down like the scratch. Maybe give them time to get used to it?

My girls are only 8 weeks, so they're still on the medicated chick feed. My feed store caries Texas Natural chick, grower, layer, & scratch. They scarf it down, so I guess that means they like it. They're plump, glossy, & super active (except one - she's in sick bay with coccidosis). I have the scratch too. If I give them it too them dry they pick out the smaller seeds and tend to leave the big stuff. But if I give it to them sprouted they go hog wild for it. Every single pieces gets eaten and they just about destroy the run looking for any they might have missed.

 

[ChazzanHillel]

So how are you sprouting it? Just put some of the scratch to soak?

 

[jadorsey9]

I just added two hens (hopefully) to my flock of three and the older hens are making a clucking like crazy every night at roosting time. Is this their way of protesting the new pullets? Otherwise, the introduction has gone smoothly. I have been keeping them in the garden during the day and letting them out to free range in the early evening. Tomorrow I will let them free range all day and see how it goes because I'm traveling for the fourth.

 

[6of6chicks]

So how are you sprouting it? Just put some of the scratch to soak?

I have a mesh sprouting lid that fits over a mason jar:


Put however much scratch you need in the jar, fill it with water, & let it soak 6 hours. Drain, and then rinse & drain the seeds twice a day until they've sprouted as much as you want. I think I read the tail should be 1 1/2 times the length of the seed to get 50% protein (?) - or something like that. I just keep them going until most of the seeds have little tails - about 3 days. Even the ones that don't sprout are soft and plump, and I think the girls like that a lot better than whole dry seeds.

I just keep the jar on the kitchen counter. It doesn't need sunlight unless you want to take it to the 1st leaves stage (the way people eat it). I don't do much at a time, and they only get it 2x/ week as a treat. But they REALLY love it.

 

[MonTXChickens]

Has anyone used their (texas natural feeds) products before? They are made in Waco and are available in the dfw area. Non soy and non gmo but not technically organic) I am on my first bag of layena but I am uncomfortable with Purina products. Just looking for some feedback on this brand.

This is the only feed we have used except for the first bag we ever bought the the day the chicks arrived. .. it's more extensive than standard but less than organic so it's a compromise if gmo concerns you. .. it does concern us so we pay more. .. the chickens eat it very well also

 

[ChazzanHillel]

Been feeding the TN layer pellets exclusively now. I got my first soft shelled eggs today and there were two of them in the same day out of 7 laying hens. Is that normal? I figured they were getting enough calcium because I noticed that many of the eggs I'm getting have tiny white speckles that a friend told me was excess calcuim. Any truth to that? I thought if that was the case, no need to continue offering oyster shell.

 

[hoping4]

Brenham here too

 

[MonTXChickens]

Been feeding the TN layer pellets exclusively now. I got my first soft shelled eggs today and there were two of them in the same day out of 7 laying hens. Is that normal? I figured they were getting enough calcium because I noticed that many of the eggs I'm getting have tiny white speckles that a friend told me was excess calcuim. Any truth to that? I thought if that was the case, no need to continue offering oyster shell.

We have been exclusively feeding Texas Naturals feeds from the beginning - Laying Pellets and Scratch for the older ones and Starter for the younger ones. Our older chickens, thirty chickens of various breeds, are about 6 months old. We are getting about 10 to 12 eggs a day so far. We have had a few soft shelled eggs, maybe 3 or 4. As best as I can tell from reading the forums, it is just happens every now and then. We have been supplementing with free choice oyster shells so I don't believe there should be a shortage of calcium in our pen. As I understand it, if you leave oyster shells available as free choice, the chickens should eat them when they need them and skip them if they don't.

 

[WRichardson]

We've been using their layer crumbles for a year. Our 13 hens (11 Buff Cochins and 2 Jumbo Cornish Cross Broilers) consume 50 pounds a week along with grazing our backyard. They do well on it. The hens prefer crumbles to pellets. We buy it at Roach Feed in Garland.