What's the best inexpensive chicken feed?

[Blondiegoldiechicks]

We've been feeding X cell pellets for 3 years to our chickens who are 3 1/2 years old. We have lost two hens this year. We cannot understand why. One was lost today. She didn't seem sick this morning when she came out of the coop. All of them have seemed happy all day. At about 5 pm this evening we seen her gone in the coop. Since she was in the coop we didn't see a seizure or anything like that. She was stuff when we got her out of the coop so she was gone for a few hours when we found her.

That said, I googled and Googled. Google said it could've been a parasite thing which yes I have to do the coop for parasites since wild doves and birds have been stealing their food during the day while the coop is open. I will do that tomorrow.

Google also said the feed... So that's what I started with...
We use Xcell pellets. What other Good non expensive chicken feed is there?

Google also said she could've also been egg bound but we didn't see an egg just lots of dirreah.

So my question is about food...
What's the best inexpensive feed for chickens besides pellets?

 

[JacinLarkwell]

There isn't going to be an inexpensive feed other than crumble and pellets. That's really the only way to be sure they're getting everything they need anyways.

Did you have a necropolis done on either? What breed are they? At 3.5 years, they could just be at the end of their life

 

[ShaunJ421]

I'm not sure where you live. But where I live, there really aren't any "good inexpensive feed". The inexpensive feeds are usually deficient in one thing or another. And I wouldn't trust feeding it to my chickens. Plus the price of feed can vary from state to state, region to region. I use Purina Flock Raiser, with crushed oyster shells on the side for the pullets. And I pay $27 for a 50lb bag. Which breaks down to $0.54/lb. I know there are some regions of the country that are much cheaper. I live in Taxachusetts though. Nothing is cheap here. LOL

 

[Blondiegoldiechicks]

There isn't going to be an inexpensive feed other than crumble and pellets. That's really the only way to be sure they're getting everything they need anyways.

Did you have a necropolis done on either? What breed are they? At 3.5 years, they could just be at the end of their life

No we didn't do a necropolis. They're Orpingtons. I say inexpensive because x cell is $22 a bag but Google said pellets are bad for chickens. So we're trying to see if there's something about the same expense that's not pellets.

 

[Blondiegoldiechicks]

I'm not sure where you live. But where I live, there really aren't any "good inexpensive feed". The inexpensive feeds are usually deficient in one thing or another. And I wouldn't trust feeding it to my chickens. Plus the price of feed can vary from state to state, region to region. I use Purina Flock Raiser, with crushed oyster shells on the side for the pullets. And I pay $27 for a 50lb bag. Which breaks down to $0.54/lb. I know there are some regions of the country that are much cheaper. I live in Taxachusetts though. Nothing is cheap here. LOL

I'm in the PNW and really nothing is cheap here either

 

[Blondiegoldiechicks]

I'm in the PNW and really nothing is cheap here either

Google said pellets are not that good. That's why I was asking if tjere was another or different type. We pay $22 for 30lb bag of Xcell pellets.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Pellets are not bad for chickens. Most people feed them and their birds are perfectly healthy. Crumbles are good too though.

 

[Blondiegoldiechicks]

Pellets are not bad for chickens. Most people feed them and their birds are perfectly healthy. Crumbles are good too though.

Ok. So maybe she died from the wild birds that fly in that may have parasites or lice.
Thank you

 

[Blondiegoldiechicks]

Pellets are not bad for chickens. Most people feed them and their birds are perfectly healthy. Crumbles are good too though.

I. Trying to cover my bases from food to parasites to egg bound to heart attack

 

[ShrekDawg]

Ok. So maybe she died from the wild birds that fly in that may have parasites or lice.
Thank you

You’re welcome

I. Trying to cover my bases from food to parasites to egg bound to heart attack

Totally understandable! I highly doubt it was the food.

That said, if you want cheaper you could try Purina or Nutrena.