Will NOT be buying TSC feeds again

[trilyn]

I don't know, I've never tried this myself; but what if you were to go to a feed mill. When I say feed mill, I'm talking about the ones that still mill grains themselves or at least store grains. Not your local feed store like TSC. I live in CNY and there are still a few of those kicking around here. I would imagine in the more rural areas in each state that would be true also.

Anyways, why not try and see if they would mix feed for you. A buddy of mine used to have his horse feed mixed specially for him. It usually is cheaper than buying prepared bags of feed and fresher too. There's several different recipes on byc alone, not to mention doing a google search for a bazillion more. This also gives you the ability to adjust feed to your specifications, ie having certain supplements mixed in or different grains. Just a thought, and one I might have to check out myself for the heck of it. I still love my Blue Seal, but other options don't hurt. I really hope that you guys that are having trouble finding good quality feed, find something soon that works for you!! Good luck!

 

[LilRalphieRoosmama]

They sell feed at big box stores? Do you mean like Walmart? We're lucky ours carries dog food. Our Sam's Club just started selling horse feed in 50 lb bags. I don't know how most people buy horse feed, but I wouldn't think 50 lbs goes very far.

Maybe someday they'll sell chicken feed!

 

[cybercat]

OK I grew up on a island so any type of animal feed store was not where I lived. Thank You Trilyn for explaining feed mill. I moved to TN from PA but the people i delt with that we were working a flock with always went to a feed store to pick up bagged feed. I have been wondering if by feed mill if that is the name used for CO-OPs. That is the only one I know of local where local grain is brought in and sold to public.

If this is not what you all mean by feed mill please clue me in. Thanks.

 

[ChickieKeeta]

I buy Blue Seal layer pellets at TSC. Except today thy were
out of it & I got Dumor layer crumbles. There is much less
waste with the pellets.

 

[Emzyyy]

Does anyone here have a Atwoods where they live? I think they are only in Kansas and Oklahoma? Its where we go and they seem to know alot about chickens.

 

[felidaet]

I just went to the Blue Seal website and did a search. There are no dealers within 100 miles of me. I suspected it was not available in the Pacific Northwest. We don't have TSC in the area either but we do have LOTs of feed stores. I would love to see a similar discussion about various feeds in my area.

I have mainly been using Purina starter/grower. I bought a bag of Nutrea awhile back because it was a little cheaper. I think I will switch back to Purina when I need the next bag. I will probably need one more bag of starter/grower before switching to layer. I may also check into local mills. I know there are some in the area.

 

[BioBob]

My Blue Seal dealer (30 miles away) does not stock the Egg Maker.

They suggested Bartlett 20% Lay Pellets w/Apex. Apex is a natural botanical product consisting of Aniseed, Garlic, Horseradish, and Juniper.

Has anyone used this product?

Bartlett Milling is in Statesville NC, and I'm not sure how extensive a dealer network they have.

If anyone is using this, I'd be interested in your evaluation.

Thanks in advance

 

[scbatz33]

I think we have a big difference in price, availability and store management in TSC from state to state and area to area. I use the TSC products when we moved up here since I can't find a Southern States - I really liked my SS dealer back in NC. Although, I like the TSC up here. It's close and they carry all the supplies like feeders I need.

I searched for a month to find a feed store that was comprehensive in what I need - dog, cat, horse and chicken. No luck. There are local feed stores but they carry some but not others of things. I'm a one-stop shop kind of person.

My local TSC is pretty good. Some employees are more helpful and friendly than others. During "chick days" the folks they had in charge were NOT knowledgeable about anything that was being sold(remember my "straight run" is the breed post?). I made a point to find out what could be ordered and what was stocked. They have a new manager and he wasn't familiar with what the traffic was like so they were out of grower for weeks in a row! I had to go elsewhere til they got their stocking levels worked out.

Long story short, the gal that orders now knows me and my husband on sight and they special order what I want. I use the 24% chick starter for my babies because the crumble size seems easier for them to eat. At 6 weeks or so I then switch to flockraiser(I get that elsewhere). Then they go to a mix of flockraiser and Game cock conditioner(from TSC) at about 16 weeks. I have noticed a change in growth and feathering since I started paying more attention to protein levels. And with the Flockraiser pellets, I have less waste. However, I pay more for the Flockraiser than the crumble by a couple bucks. The big price jump was in the Game cock from the Grower/finisher. Game Cock conditioner here $23 a bag and grower/finisher is $15.99. But the protein levels are better in the GC and it's seeds and pellets vs. crumble.

I DO NOT buy my horse feed at TSC. I buy from a feed mill in KY that has a mill up here in PA. Yes, I pay a bit more than buying a TSC or Purina milled feed, but the difference in quality is amazing. Oh, and it's FRESH! I have to drive 45 minutes to find the "local" dealer. But they don't carry all the chicken feed either. I get my flockraiser from them - which they have to order. They do mill their own layer ration and it is a zillion times better than anything I have bought. It's FRESH. The color and smell and over all quality is great. Plus, it's $8.75 for a 50# bag!! I also get my scratch there - $8.00 and my crimped oats and beet pulp.

So I still have to go to 2 different places. I may have to go to a third if TSC can't order beet pulp with out molasses. The feed mill and TSC both get it from the same supplier but the mill says they only get the molasses. I think it's too much sugar for my Morgans so I am in search of a place that will order it dry. My dream would be to have all this stuff wrapped into one store, no more than 15 min from my house....I also want to win the lottery!

 

[Hillbilly Rooster]

I like TSC and I have been using Dumors for a year. I also mix my feed so that it is not straight dumors.

I was going to change feeds after vacation but it happened yesterday. TSC was out of crumble had only pellets.

I hope that they were right. They told me that Blue Seal and Kent Brands were from the same company. Blue Seal was mainly sold in the south and Kent in the north.

I want better for my hens so if this was a bad choice let me know and if some lives in michigan and knows were to get Blue Seal please PM me.

Thank you

 

[cybercat]

Yes, it seems Blue Seal is just and Eastern feed while Kent is Western. At least that is the was it turned up in my search on them.

I need to check into some of these other feed makers to see if i come up with any more local.