Whats the best chicken feed for hens?

[Ron J]

What is people's opinions on the best chicken layer feed? Co-op, Purina or Shur-Gain?

 

[SandyRiverChick]

Same as asking this question for dog food, you'll get many suggestions. Mine is: Kalmbach flock maker 20% with oyster shell and/or egg shell offering as well.

 

[horror_trashcan]

Same as asking this question for dog food, you'll get many suggestions. Mine is: Kalmbach flock maker 20% with oyster shell and/or egg shell offering as well.

I also feed Kalmbach flock maker although I just switched to Nutrena 20% since its cheaper.

 

[lagrange chicks]

I use Nutrena, I was giving a mix of there 16% crumble/ pellet and found they have been picking the pellets out and leaving the crumble. Now they get the 20% flock raiser which is only pellets. Need to watch on weight per bag since Nutrena is 40 Pound bags with other brands being 50 pound.

 

[lagrange chicks]

By the way, the yokes from are girls are bright yellow/ orange.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

The best feed is the one that is readily available to you, at a price you are willing to pay, fresh, and meeting the needs of your flock and your management style.

"Co-op" is a descriptor, not a feed brand. My co-op in FL is not the same as the Co-op available to me in Alabama, and likely not the same as the Co-op available to you (in Canada???). Purina has multiple lines, of differing nutritional values.

Shur-gain seems to be focusing on low cost solutions to meeting poultry needs, which is different management than one of Purina's standard or Organic lines

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Seems like our Bomgaar's never has the same brand twice when we go to buy. We do like @U_Stormcrow suggests, read the label. I'm nowhere near as knowledgeable or savvy as he is, of course, but I look for the freshness date, the protein %, and the price. The price point keeps me from buying "organic" feed but my birds do well on what we give them (20% protein). Today, for exsmple, I gathered 17 eggs from my 20 layers, some of whom are over 3 years old.