Which feed would you pick. Ingredient list only

[lukkyseven]

Thats not a terrible idea. Maybe I will inquire about a special blend. My chickens don't get as much free range as I would like. Predators are particularly bad and its not worth losing them to allow them out when I'm not around. They do however get a ton of scraps.

 

[Weeg]

Thats not a terrible idea. Maybe I will inquire about a special blend. My chickens don't get as much free range as I would like. Predators are particularly bad and its not worth losing them to allow them out when I'm not around. They do however get a ton of scraps.

If they get a ton of scraps, then you are gonna need at least 20% protein. scraps can drown out the protein levels, so you need higher protein levels for more scraps. Neither of thought feeds will work with the amount of scraps you feed. 20% works for me and I feed scraps as well.

 

[David61]

This is what I've transitioned to because I'm getting ducks and because I don't want to give layer feed to my rooster, but my birds are not thrilled with it. I've been mixing it with the Scratch & Peck, which I usually ferment. They'll get used to it, I'm sure.

Make a mash with some oatmeal and new feed. use hot water. My birds never pass on warm mash. Its how i get electrolytes in them too. They don't like flavored water but after eating mash made with it they will drink it.
Now my local feed mill makes Purina flock raiser. The bags i get are just a few weeks old. I have used it as soon as they got old enough to stay in the coop. They are big healthy birds that lay big brown eggs just about everyday . I really don't know what is in the bag or could tell you if its what they need.
I can see my birds and their eggs. If Purina feed isn't that good their PR department sure has my girls fooled.

 

[Aunt Angus]

Make a mash with some oatmeal and new feed. use hot water. My birds never pass on warm mash. Its how i get electrolytes in them too. They don't like flavored water but after eating mash made with it they will drink it.
Now my local feed mill makes Purina flock raiser. The bags i get are just a few weeks old. I have used it as soon as they got old enough to stay in the coop. They are big healthy birds that lay big brown eggs just about everyday . I really don't know what is in the bag or could tell you if its what they need.
I can see my birds and their eggs. If Purina feed isn't that good their PR department sure has my girls fooled.

I'm not giving up- haha! They'll eat it and like it! It's how I give electrolytes, probiotics, and vitamin B to them. Make it in a mash, they'll eat anything! I do that and I add also ferment. They LOVE the fermented Scratch & Peck! I've started slipping the all flock in that, too.

I've heard a lot of people say that the Purina really makes a difference in their flocks. That's why I chose it over the other all flock choices.

 

[Percheron chick]

Thats not a terrible idea. Maybe I will inquire about a special blend. My chickens don't get as much free range as I would like. Predators are particularly bad and its not worth losing them to allow them out when I'm not around. They do however get a ton of scraps.

Custom blends typically require a minimum 500# order. The mill by me that will still do them requires a ton.

 

[LaFleche]

Here is the link to the brand of food #1 is.

https://www.hhfeeds.com/animal-selection

I had a look at the ingredient lists of their different non GMO feeds.

The chick starter seems the most appropriate, but as it also contains quite a substantial amount of diatomeaceous earth, so at least part of their beneficial additives and vitamins will be inactivated by it and therefore rather useless, which can lead to malnutrition and susceptibility to illness due to vitamin and other essential minerals deficiency, just as if you would feed them activated charcoal every day.

Apart from that, soy beans and corn again are the two main ingredients.

 

[Artichoke Lover]

Make a mash with some oatmeal and new feed. use hot water. My birds never pass on warm mash. Its how i get electrolytes in them too. They don't like flavored water but after eating mash made with it they will drink it.
Now my local feed mill makes Purina flock raiser. The bags i get are just a few weeks old. I have used it as soon as they got old enough to stay in the coop. They are big healthy birds that lay big brown eggs just about everyday . I really don't know what is in the bag or could tell you if its what they need.
I can see my birds and their eggs. If Purina feed isn't that good their PR department sure has my girls fooled.

My chickens won’t eat it! We had to buy it once because our regular feed store was out. They hated it kicked it all out of the feed bucket. I ended up having to feed scratch and oyster shell until we could get to the store!

 

[lukkyseven]

I had a look at the ingredient lists of their different non GMO feeds.

The chick starter seems the most appropriate, but as it also contains quite a substantial amount of diatomeaceous earth, so at least part of their beneficial additives and vitamins will be inactivated by it and therefore rather useless, which can lead to malnutrition and susceptibility to illness due to vitamin and other essential minerals deficiency, just as if you would feed them activated charcoal every day.

Apart from that, soy beans and corn again are the two main ingredients.

So a few questions here. Can you link me to something saying DE kills nutrients? I'd like to read about that specifically. I'd also like to hear more of your concerns on the corn and soybeans. The corn I kind of understand, but the soybean confuses me a little bit.

I know everyone has their opinions and I'm trying to hear them so I can make a better choice. I think what I'm going to ultimately have to do is make my own feed. I think it would be fairly easy to do in my area, but I was hoping to find a more convenient route. I'm at a point where I'm okay paying for convenience.

 

[LaFleche]

Can you link me to something saying DE kills nutrients?

I newer said that it "kills" nutrients, so there will be no link to prove this kind of statement.

Among other applications, diatomaceous earth is widely used as a filtering and binding agent because of its specific properties to bind. This among others is a valuable quality, but as it not only applies to the unwanted but also wanted ingredients, it is important to be aware of this characteristic so as to not throw out the baby with the bath water.

I have very good experiences using diatomaceous earth in my various coops to prevent mites and in the dust baths to prevent lice. And I use it in case I suspect a youngster to have ingested something insalubrious when I don't have activated charcoal at hand.

So whatever you decide to feed is totally up to you. Everybody is entitled to their own opinions and beliefs, I do not want to convince you of anything.

I think what I'm going to ultimately have to do is make my own feed.

That is what I do.

 

[lukkyseven]

I did not mean to put words into your mouth. I appreciate your response as I didn't intend to make it look like you said something you didn't.

I am simply looking for a fresh feed for the chickens. I was hoping to find one that is local and was pre-mixed. I can appreciate paying a little extra for the convenience of someone else doing all the dirty work for me.

What is your feed recipe? I'd be very interested to see it. I have just begun the search of what I can get near me. Also do you mill your food or leave it whole?