Tragedy related to nutrition?

[Chinchilla2]

Purina used to be some of the best feed out there but since the merger with Nestle and the drop of the Ralston part of their name, quality has gone downhill. My two local feedstores won't even carry their product anymore. One now retails Livengood and the other (my fav store) carries Nutrena, Wendland's and M-G, Inc. feeds. I usually go with the Nutrena brand. I usually add a little oyster shell to the feed proper since the silly things seem to think oyster shell alone is a dust bath no matter how small the container. Nothing like watching 16 week old Orpington trying to bathe in a mini loaf pan.

Not sure where to get an organic feed.

 

[LindsayB]

I have fed my chickens Dumor for years...I've never had any problems with it. I also mix oats, boss and cracked corn into the feed for a little something extra.

 

[PattyO]

Thanks Real Redhead! Looks like Dumor has higher Calcium, Lysine, Methionine and lower Sodium. The basic ingredients are still very vague. Starts out pretty much the same. Processed grain by products etc. The first ingredient is supposed to be of the highest content. This Country Organics company says that it doesnt change its formula with fluctuation in grain cost which Im sure Purina does in that you dont even know whats in it. It is 7.50 dollars more on a 50 lb bag and then there is shipping. They said though that you can safely purchase a fresh feed supply for three months and shipping costs are greatly reduced. They are located in Waynesboro. Not that far away if I did it every three months. Thank you so much for sending the ingredient list.

 

[Fred's Hens]

DuMor is simply a "house generic", sacked for TSC, by..... wait for it,.... Purina. It's contents while slightly different, isn't going to be a radical departure, for understandable reasons.

 

[PattyO]

Thanks Fred. May I ask what do you feed and are you familiar with Countryside Organics?

 

[Ksane]

Nutrena All Flock has the same kind of ingredients as the rest of them, like cheap dog food as you said. I've yet to find a decent feed and it's frustrating. If I had only 3 chickens I'd spend the money for that organic you listed. But with all the othwr animals around here plus all the chickens there's just no way.

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

We feed purina now after only feeding Nutrena. The Nutrena supplier told our local store they couldn't get my order in because no one else over here was buying that week. So we had to switch not knowing how often that would be an issue. So we feed purina flock raiser, purina layer, purina game bird, plus add in scratch, BOSS, oats, and soaked alpha cubes (soak in water offer in a seperate pan or bowl). We are feeding chickens, ducks (domestic and not) and geese, as well as quail. Oh and I use Mazuri waterfowl feed in our breeding pens of ducks and geese. Our feed is delivered on the 1st and 3rd Thursday of each month so we keep it as fresh as possible. It took about 3 deliveries to tweak the order, now we never run out, and usually have 1-2 feedings left of every feed when the new bags arrive.

We use rabbit hopper style feeders for the call duck breeding pens and for oyster shell and grit for everyone. Hope this helps some.

 

[nurse_turtle]

I think she broke her leg during the scare. It is not difficult for a chicken to fracture a bone. Bird genetics allow for thin, light weight bones to facilitate flying. Although chickens ain't much for flying, their DNA don't know that. Purina is a great brand in my opinion, just ask my chickies!

 

[stilldeb]

I have been feeding Countryside and like it very much. I was using a different organic feed before and Countryside is superior. I have a couple of Frizzles that seem to need the extra nutrition to stay feathered out nicely and have previously had to supplement game bird feed, but not with the Countryside.

 

[rancher hicks]

It is quite possible she broke her leg during the scare.

However, Oyster shell grit is a "soluble" grit. Much like a calcium pill ladies take to avoid Osteo.... It is recommended to have it on demand for that added boost of calcium. Calcium is also found in many foods chickens eat or will eat. Such as Spinach and the like.

Even though she broke her leg you must consider chickens are birds and their bones are fragile. So it may have had nothing to do with what your feeding at all. One of the first signs of a calcium deficiency is soft or thin shelled eggs. I suspect what some perceived egg eating is really an egg broken from being stepped on.

Take care,

Rancher