What is everyones favorite feed?

[ky goat lad]

Chicken layers crumbles, pellets, game bird feed, flock feed, corn, .... ???

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

We feed ours an 18% protien layer custom made from a local mill in the non laying season and during laying season a 20% layer with 250 pounds of oyster shell added per ton of feed. We also toss out corn in the afternoon, hardboil the extra eggs and feed them back and all extras from the garden in season.

Steve

 

[Olive Hill]

We, too, feed a custom mix from the local mill. ~20% CP. Only difference is we offer oyster shell free choice on the side rather than mixed in.

 

[zazouse]

 

[HallFamilyFarm]

We recently switched from Purina to ADM...aka... Tindle's Pen Pal. It is animal protien and the birds eat about half what it took Purina to fill them up with.

 

[Denninmi]

Curious -- do your local feed stores offer many options in pre-made feeds?

Where I am, I have 3 feed stores within about 20 miles. One is a Tractor Supply Company store, which carries Purina and Du Mor brand feeds, although not every type of feed in each brand, at least not consistently. The other two are mom and pops that have been around since, oh, Neanderthals were roaming around jabbing saber tooth tigers with long spears. These two only offer the local brand, Armada, in turkey pellets.

I'm thinking because this is the 'burbs, there isn't the demand that there would be in more rural areas.

I had to do mail order (expensive) to get the special medicated turkey pellets that prevent blackhead. They just weren't available locally here at all.

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

Our feed stores each carry a brand - our feed mill is a Purina dealer, the chick and turkey starter I get is Southern States brand.

Steve

 

[Ohne-Fehler]

We feed our birds Payback which is what our locally owned feed store carries. They always keep Turkey Starter and Grower in stock for us. We also keep free feed cracked corn available for our birds.

 

[thekid]

my dads answer to that would be "the cheepest one" hahaha

 

[ShadyHoller]

Depending on which feed store we go to (three to chose from) and what is on sale, we have fed Payback, Purina, Nutrena and Beaver (which is the local off-brand). I have heard different opinions on the merits of feeding animal protein or soy protein. Some people love it, other folks are opposed to it. Our birds don't seem to care much. We were looking into the option of getting a batch of feed milled for us locally. However, we have been using more and more of the locally grown whole grains, (Wheat and oats, mostly) and our need for milled feed is decreasing. We might switch to mixed whole grains in one feeder, and a vitamin supplement on the side, and do away with milled feed altogether. I'm planting some millet, buckwheat, field peas and mixed brassicas that we will drag the tractor over, and we'll keep buying wheat and oats. Not sure what to do about corn. Just keep buying it from the feed store, for the time being.

One thing I learned: don't mix whole grains in with the milled pellets! The birds prefer the grains so much, they will root through the feeder to get them, and spill huge quantities of milled feed on the ground.