Different layer feed question..

[ChicKola]

So I’ve had my flock on DuMOR All Flock because I have a roo. Well, he will be gone tomorrow, and I am switching the girls to a layer feed. DuMOR has layer pellets as well as egg maxx pellet feed. Is there a difference? Does anyone prefer one over the other? Opinions? The only thing I can see is egg maxx has marigolds for darker yolks … is that it? am I missing anything? Thanks!

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I'd go with whichever one has more protein

 

[Weeg]

So I’ve had my flock on DuMOR All Flock because I have a roo. Well, he will be gone tomorrow, and I am switching the girls to a layer feed. DuMOR has layer pellets as well as egg maxx pellet feed. Is there a difference? Does anyone prefer one over the other? Opinions? The only thing I can see is egg maxx has marigolds for darker yolks … is that it? am I missing anything? Thanks!

Personally, I prefer to use a grower/starter for my birds, even if I don't have a roo. I think that layer is a higher calcium diet than nessasry. Not because its more calcium than they need, but during the winter, during molting, different breeds, older hens, etc, hens wont be laying as much, or at all. Some breeds only lay every other day, or less. They don't necessarily need that calcium during these times.
I think it makes more sense to feed a grower/starter and offer OS on the side. Then they can get as much as they need when they need it. Plus I like the extra protein since my birds get kitchen scraps.
Anyway, to answer your question, I believe the DuMOR EggMax pellets are only different because of the Marigolds. I don't think theres a huge difference.

 

[ChicKola]

I'd go with whichever one has more protein

They’re both 16%

 

[ChicKola]

Personally, I prefer to use a grower/starter for my birds, even if I don't have a roo. I think that layer is a higher calcium diet than nessasry. Not because its more calcium than they need, but during the winter, during molting, different breeds, older hens, etc, hens wont be laying as much, or at all. Some breeds only lay every other day, or less. They don't necessarily need that calcium during these times.
I think it makes more sense to feed a grower/starter and offer OS on the side. Then they can get as much as they need when they need it. Plus I like the extra protein since my birds get kitchen scraps.
Anyway, to answer your question, I believe the DuMOR EggMax pellets are only different because of the Marigolds. I don't think theres a huge difference.

So, you feed starter throughout their whole lives? Interesting! I haven’t heard of doing that. When they started laying, I switched to all flock with oyster shell supplements as choice.

 

[Weeg]

So, you feed starter throughout their whole lives? Interesting! I haven’t heard of doing that. When they started laying, I switched to all flock with oyster shell supplements as choice.

Yep. I've been feeding starter, and now switching to grower (not entirely sure theres a big difference.) for the last 2 years? Its smaller for my ducks which I like. I just feed OS on the side. I've fed it since I had issues with protein deficiencies.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I'll look tomorrow, offer an opinion.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

OK, I had to cut and paste off the TSC website, but here is the guaranteed analysis for the Dumor "EggMaxx":
Guaranteed Analysis

Nutrient	Analysis
Sodium (Na), (Max)	16%
Lysine (Min)	0.70%
Methionine (Min)	0.35%
Crude Fat (Min)	2.50%
Crude Fiber (Max)	7%
Ash (Max)	15%
Calcium (Ca), (Min)	3.50%
Calcium (Ca), (Max)	4.50%
Phosphorus (P), (Min)	0.45%
Salt (NaCl), (Min)	0.25%
Salt (NaCl), (Max)	0.75%
Sodium (Na), (Max)	0.51%

Ingredients
Ground Corn, Wheat Middlings, Dehulled Soybean Meal, Calcium Carbonate, Corn Distillers Dried Grains with Solubles, Monocalcium Phosphate, Dicalcium Phosphate, Salt, L-Lysine, DL-Methionine, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Yeast Extract, Vitamin E Supplement, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (Vitamin K), Zinc Proteinate, Zinc Oxide, Manganous Oxide, Biotin, Thiamine Mononitrate, Manganese Proteinate, Niacin Supplement, Zinc Hydroxychloride, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Manganese Hydroxychloride, Riboflavin Supplement, Folic Acid, Copper Proteinate, Copper Sulfate, Active Dry Yeast, Calcium Pantothenate, Choline Chloride, Basic Copper Chloride, Vitamin A Supplement, Sodium Silico Aluminate, Tagetes (Aztec Marigold) Extract (Color), Dried Aspergillus oryzae Fermentation Extract, Sodium Selenite, Organic Soybean Oil, Dried Bacillus subtilis Fermentation Product, Dried Bacillus coagulans Fermentation Product, Calcium Iodate.


And here is the same for their standard 16% Layer:
Guaranteed Analysis

Nutrient	Analysis
Crude Protein	16.00% min
Lysine	0.70% min
Methionine	0.30% min
Crude Fat	2.50% min
Crude Fiber	7.00% max
Ash	15.00% max
Calcium	3.50% min
Calcium	4.50% max
Phosphorus	0.45% min
Salt	0.25% min
Salt	0.75% min
Sodium	0.51% max

Ingredients
Wheat Middlings, Ground Corn, Dehulled Soybean Meal, Corn Distillers Dried Grains, Calcium Carbonate, Corn Gluten Feed, Animal Fat Preserved with Ethoxyquin, Salt, DL-Methionine, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Yeast Extract, Vitamin E Supplement, Biotin, Manganous Oxide, Selenium Yeast, Thiamine Mononitrate, Zinc Proteinate, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (Vitamin K), Zinc Oxide, Manganese Proteinate, Zinc Hydroxychloride, Niacin Supplement, Manganese Hydroxychloride, Copper Proteinate, Copper Sulfate, Active Dry Yeast, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Choline Chloride, Calcium Pantothenate, Basic Copper Chloride, Folic Acid, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Sodium Silico Aluminate, L-Lysine, Dried Aspergillus oryzae Fermentation Extract, Organic Soybean Oil, Dried Bacillus subtilis Fermentation Product, Dried Bacillus coagulans Fermentation Product, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite


TL;DR?
Both use the same "probiotic" mix - those dried bacteria and fermentation products at the end to make some things more digestible. Both appear to use the same trace vitamin mix (a block ot text in the middle of the ingredient list. Both have the same gross guaranteed nutritional labels.

The "EggMaxx" uses ground corn as its first ingredient, instead of a wheat by-product, which requires the addition of substantially more synthetic Lysine to compensate (L-Lysine on the list), as well as the addition of some Marigold extract, and seemingly no animal products. It is tweeked to encourage a more yellow/orange yolk.

The standard layer uses wheat and some animal fats, needs much less L-Lysine to make a complete meal, and is lower overall in beta carotinoids (and thus, the intensely yellow/orange colored yolks) but it otherwise substantially identical.

Nutritionally, they are basicaly interchangeable, but since EggMaxx (at least in my area) is $0.50 more expensive for a bag 10# lighter, its a SUBSTANTIAL price premium you pay for those extra yellow eggs. I would not bother.

and if I were interested in the long term health of my flock, I'd feed (if I were sticking with DuMor) the 20% Starter/Grower to all my birds, all their lives, with free choice grit and free choice oyster shell on the side.

Nutrient	Analysis
Crude Protein	20.00% min
Lysine	1.00% min
Methionine	0.50% min
Crude Fat	3.00% min
Crude Fiber	6.00% max
Calcium	1.00% min
Calcium	1.50% max
Phosphorus	0.70% min
Salt	0.25% min
Salt	0.75% max
Sodium	0.50% max

Better Lysine, Better Methionine, lower fiber, no calcium toxicity, and at $20/50#, its $0.40/lb. The EggMax, for comparison, lists at $18/40, or $0.45/lb. While it lacks the probiotics to aid digestibility (and the marigold extract to provide food coloring for your yolks), it also has better phosphorus levels, and your chickens - fed a regular diet - with quickly develop a natural biome in their gutt to aid digestion.

 

[Brooks_]

Great advice above, I have nothing to add other than to really look at your local (in store) price. TSC lists Purina flock raiser as on sale at 20.29 (1 dollar off), but at the store 15.99 (presumably the same dollar off). Dumor 20% starter/grower, on the other hand, is 17.49.