What’s important to you about feed?

[SourRoses]

Crumble, because we've had poor results feeding pellets to a wide variety of chickens.

Protein, because it's what makes their feathers pretty (I've noticed a real difference in appearance). Nothing under 20% here.

Basic Nutrition, because appearance, eggs, health, happiness would all diminish otherwise.

Probiotics, because I've seen them work in both horses and people.
Whether many make it alive into the digestion isn't as important to me as having diverse strains in an easy to provide source (I trust the few survivors will reproduce, and constant feeding of it makes a lot of chances for success).

 

[Brooks_]

Freshness/mill date is another factor or me.

 

[TheFatBlueCat]

Protein and the source of said protein is what's important to me. I choose animal-source protein wherever possible be that meat/blood meal or fish based meal. I don't have an organic option so I choose as local as possible as no GMO crops are allowed to be grown here, but they can be imported. Doesn't change the fact that glyphosate is used. Not much I can do about that though.

 

[sdm111]

Fats. Just as important than protein. Protein isn't everything like everybody says. It's pretty useless without good important fats
My birds speak for themselves

 

[Missyschix13]

I'm not a food snob for either the humans or the animals in my family, so I'm not picky about chicken feed (and wouldn't look down on a breeder simply because of what they feed their birds). GMO isn't evil, the label "organic" has been abused to the point where it doesn't mean much anymore, etc. so those things are not important to me. If it meets their nutritional needs, and won't bankrupt me, it's totally fine. There are two things I do watch out for though - I don't like feeds with added calcium, because I like to let my chickens regulate themselves, so I don't use layer feeds. I provide calcium on the side, and let the chickens decide how much they need. And the chickens seem to strongly prefer crumble over pellet, so I humor them. I have a no-waste feeder, so the texture doesn't matter to me. They can have what they like. I use Purina Flock Raiser and everybody is healthy and happy!

I'm in the same boat! (Props to all the folks who led me to this path!) Keep it simple. I bought pellets this time (only bag available) so we'll see how that goes. Hopefully they aren't fussy. Lol

 

[Tolkienfanatic03]

Just an idea for people who have lots of chickens...try putting the feed on a piece of metal roofing and then less will get ground into the dirt and wasted.

 

[saysfaa]

None of the options are appropriate choices.

What is important to me is

• balanced formula
• fresh
• locally grown and milled
• price
• not organic.

Balanced formula might be covered by the "meet basic nutritional needs" but that feels like I want the lowest level of nutritional needs and/or the main nutrients. Instead, I want midrange levels to allow a wider margin of error and mmets micronutrients as well as macronutrients.

 

[Iluveggers]

None of the options are appropriate choices.

What is important to me is

• balanced formula
• fresh
• locally grown and milled
• price
• not organic.

Balanced formula might be covered by the "meet basic nutritional needs" but that feels like I want the lowest level of nutritional needs and/or the main nutrients. Instead, I want midrange levels to allow a wider margin of error and mmets micronutrients as well as macronutrients.

Wait, you won’t buy feed if it is organic?

 

[Iluveggers]

I chose organic (which covers non-gmo since in the US organic cannot be GMO), protein level, and meets basic nutrition needs.

My pullets aren’t laying yet but when they are I will keep them on 21% protein grower feed. I like the high % of Methionine that comes in my feed.

The feed is milled locally and most local feeds are not pelleted since that machine costs more. I put a shoe mat under my feeder to catch the crumbs.

My family is whole food, no processed foods whenever possible, so my ladies also get veggies from the garden plus whatever bugs & grass they can find. During molt, I might give them animal scraps from our (organic, local farm sourced, on pasture) chicken, beef, and pork meals.

The eggs are for my family only, and I feel fortunate that I can spend the extra money on this feed so I can put the very best into our bodies. With 10 pullets, it isn’t unreasonable. We are going to grow some broilers next year and I will give them local, organic starter & grower feed as well.

 

[AgnesGray]

We feed organic and soy free. During the summer we feed corn free. We choose mills that fill our feed order and ship out right away so it's fresh. There are a lot of factors to take into consideration, but this is what we do.