What do you feed your flocks of mixed fowl?

[Jayzandra]

We have chickens, ducks and turkeys. We feed Purena Flock Raiser, but I was wondering if there were any other feeds out there that might be a bit more economic. Layer feed is quite a bit cheaper than flock raiser, and game bird feed is way more expensive. I would also like to find out if I can order feed in bulk online. TIA!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Feed in bulk will always be cheaper but you have to have a lot of birds to make use of it. Otherwise it will get old before consumed.
Layer may be cheaper but if you have any that aren't building egg shells, it is inappropriate.
Gamebird feed will be too much protein for chickens and perhaps mature gamebirds.

 

[Jayzandra]

I have 40+ chickens with 20+ eggs in the incubator, 10 chicks arriving next week, 3 turkeys with 20+ eggs in the incubator, 2 ducks with 20+ eggs in the incubator, 10 Muscovy arriving this month.

So I have a lot of birds. We go through a lot of feed.

And thank you for the info, but it didn't really answer my question.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I'm just saying that an all flock feed is your best option.
If you have a local mill that mixes their own feed, you might be able to have a special formula made for you.
Is there a way you can separate the birds and feed them different feeds, that may be an option.

100+ birds would be at the low end to consider buying feed by the ton. That's about the minimum for buying in bulk. You don't want to retain feed more than 3 months.

 

[SunHwaKwon]

We have chickens, ducks and turkeys. We feed Purena Flock Raiser, but I was wondering if there were any other feeds out there that might be a bit more economic. Layer feed is quite a bit cheaper than flock raiser, and game bird feed is way more expensive. I would also like to find out if I can order feed in bulk online. TIA!

I buy meat bird pellets from my local southern states dealer. https://www.southernstates.com/storelocations/index.aspx Prices do vary by location but you might check with them.

ETA For me it's about $3 cheaper per bag than Flock Raiser, which adds up. I also feed them a fermented mix of gamebird starter and grains mixed to whatever protein ratio I'm adding for, usually 18-20%

 

[chickengeorgeto]

We have chickens, ducks and turkeys. We feed Purena Flock Raiser, but I was wondering if there were any other feeds out there that might be a bit more economic. Layer feed is quite a bit cheaper than flock raiser, and game bird feed is way more expensive. I would also like to find out if I can order feed in bulk online. TIA!

I have 40+ chickens with 20+ eggs in the incubator, 10 chicks arriving next week, 3 turkeys with 20+ eggs in the incubator, 2 ducks with 20+ eggs in the incubator, 10 Muscovy arriving this month.

So I have a lot of birds. We go through a lot of feed.

And thank you for the info, but it didn't really answer my question.

The number of birde that you have will not make bulk feed feasible.

However there may be a feed mill near you where you can carry a couple of 55 gallon feed drums in the back of a pick-up truck and have them filled in seconds from the overhead feed bin.

All the commercial chickens and their feed belongs to the interrogator, Tyson, Purdue, etc. As for buying from the farmer his pay check is highly dependent on raising the processors' birds to slaughter weight on the smallest amount of feed. So any deduction in feed weight by-way-of back door feed sales could result in hundreds if not thousands of dollars of loss for the farmer.

 

[Jayzandra]

They all free range together, except for when they're separated into breeder pens. I have read that layer feed has too much calcium for any bird not laying, including roosters, pullets and elderly hens.

 

[Jayzandra]

I'll just continue to feed Flock Raiser.

 

[SunHwaKwon]

They all free range together, except for when they're separated into breeder pens. I have read that layer feed has too much calcium for any bird not laying, including roosters, pullets and elderly hens.

That is correct. Did you check the southern states link? Their prices will be better than flock raiser, I can almost guarantee. And fermenting stretches it even further.