Anyone feeding Wholesome Harvest to their flock?

[Ebz5003]

I recently found this on Chewy and have been feeding it to my flock alongside Purina Layena or Kalmbach All-Flock. I'm feeding less of it at a time because it is somewhat expensive. It looks to be made completely of whole grains ( corn, a few other things), and claims to have Omega-3's and essential oils in it. My chickens love it and would much rather eat that than the Kalmbach/Purina crumbles. I've noticed it goes rancid fairly quickly, after a couple weeks in an air-tight metal can. A full nutrition panel is not present. Does and anyone else feed this to their flock or know how complete it is nutrition-wise?

 

[FrostRanger]

After a bit of digging, I did find a nutrition label https://www.ernstgrainandlivestock.com/shop/wholesome-harvest-whole-grain-layer-blend-7083
Quite frankly I am disappointed by how incomplete the label I dug up is, it doesn't list methionine or lysine content, both of which are very important. Based on what is there it seems to be a basic layer feed with the bare minimum amount of protein at 16%. @U_Stormcrow can give you a better breakdown but given the minimum amount of protein and the incomplete nutrition label I wouldn't feed that to my flock (that and it being a mash it needs to either be made into a wet mash or fermented else the birds can pick out only the bits they like and possibly get malnourished. pellets suit my needs better but that's personal preference)

 

[nuthatched]

Boutique prices for glorified scratch, I'd pass.

 

[Ebz5003]

After a bit of digging, I did find a nutrition label https://www.ernstgrainandlivestock.com/shop/wholesome-harvest-whole-grain-layer-blend-7083
Quite frankly I am disappointed by how incomplete the label I dug up is, it doesn't list methionine or lysine content, both of which are very important. Based on what is there it seems to be a basic layer feed with the bare minimum amount of protein at 16%. @U_Stormcrow can give you a better breakdown but given the minimum amount of protein and the incomplete nutrition label I wouldn't feed that to my flock (that and it being a mash it needs to either be made into a wet mash or fermented else the birds can pick out only the bits they like and possibly get malnourished. pellets suit my needs better but that's personal preference)

That is interesting. I have been feeding a couple scoops a day, as treats, because they are obsessed and seem to be eating it all, even without wetting or fermenting it. They mostly eat Purina or Kalmbach crumbles, which I put out in a feed container every day. If it's incomplete nutritionally, I will only continue to use it as scratch/ treats. Thanks for that info.

 

[Ebz5003]

Boutique prices for glorified scratch, I'd pass.

It contains quite an assortment of grains and seeds, too, I think. I have been using it as a treat, rather than their main food.

 

[FrostRanger]

That is interesting. I have been feeding a couple scoops a day, as treats, because they are obsessed and seem to be eating it all, even without wetting or fermenting it. They mostly eat Purina or Kalmbach crumbles, which I put out in a feed container every day. If it's incomplete nutritionally, I will only continue to use it as scratch/ treats. Thanks for that info.

It's not that's it's necessarily incomplete (although we don't have enough info to say either way but I am leaning towards, complete, but has the absolute bare minimums of many things) it's just the nature of mash feed that they need to be fed wet, nothing unique to this particular mash

 

[Ebz5003]

It's not that's it's necessarily incomplete (although we don't have enough info to say either way but I am leaning towards, complete, but has the absolute bare minimums of many things) it's just the nature of mash feed that they need to be fed wet, nothing unique to this particular mash

Are they not able to be digested unless prepared wet or fermented?

 

[FrostRanger]

Are they not able to be digested unless prepared wet or fermented?

No, what can happen is they can pick and choose amongst the grains and only eat their favorite bits rather than everything and thus they'd only get part of the nutrition in the feed. Wetting the feed makes it much harder for them to do this

 

[nuthatched]

It contains quite an assortment of grains and seeds, too, I think. I have been using it as a treat, rather than their main food.

It's a great treat but bare minimum for nutrition. It's a complete ration but just over the line.

Are they not able to be digested unless prepared wet or fermented?

They can, wet or fermentation helps prevent the birds from picking out ingredients they like and not eating the vitamin fines. Like a kid eat mashed potatoes and desert but not the chicken and veggies

 

[Perris]

It looks to be made completely of whole grains

no, it's made of cracked grains, not whole grains, as it says on the website FrostRanger found
"This blend of Non-GMO cracked grains is a complete layer feed fortified with minerals and additional calcium to ensure quality eggshells"

I've noticed it goes rancid fairly quickly

that would be because oils have been added

A full nutrition panel is not present

it does list ingredients on the website

it seems to be a basic layer feed with the bare minimum amount of protein at 16%

quite. It's a layer feed. Almost all layer feeds have the bare minimum required nutrients (everything you'd expect to see on a layer label is there, after diatomaceous earth), so it's no worse than any other, and better than many because it includes probiotics and prebiotics and seaweed (kelp) and whatnot.

It contains quite an assortment of grains and seeds, too

It's principally corn and soybeans as normal in the US plus some wheat and alfalfa meal and sunflowers.

If you want to feed it, and your birds prefer it, it is as good or better as a principal feed as the other brands you offer them.
Wetting it just adds water. Fermenting it will change it nutritionally but not much. The main thing to watch is the dates. Because the grains are broken and there is added oil it will go off quickly. Check the sack is fresh before buying and then use it quickly.