Trying to figure out the best feed for Mandarins.

[jsvand5]

I am going to be getting a few mandarins once I am able to finish getting their enclosure set up but I am having trouble finding the best feed for them. I was looking into purina products. They have Flockraiser which is 20% protein and Layena which is 16% with extra Ca. These birds will not be laying age yet. Is the 20% feed too high in protein? I also can get the mazuri waterfowl diets, but they seem crazy expensive. I was planning paying the money for the Mazuri breeder during the breeding season, but as a feed for the rest of the year $45 a bag is a bit much for me. I can also get southern states, and feed from TSC in my area. I am probably over complicating this, but I want to make sure these guys are getting everything they need. Thanks for any advice.

 

[geosheets]

I'm new to mandarins but here's what mine are eating... I buy all my food at TSC... it's non medicated. I fed them live meal worms and 20% starter for the first week and after they were eating well the 20% starter until they were 5-6 weeks. I then switched to 15% grower for a week and now I mix half 15% grower and half scratch grains. Plus of course, all the bugs they can find and plant leaves they can reach. I have a large dusk to dawn light over their pen that really brings in the bugs and they spend half the night chasing bugs. Hopefully, if anything I'm doing is wrong someone will point it out.