Found a local feed

[ChickyWhicky]

Just sharing as I want to keep this post updated with more information as I get it. I live in southeast Iowa & have been feeding an all-flock 16% feed (country lane) from Orschlens (farm/home store) for over a year. I recently discovered we have a local feed mill that makes their own chicken feed. They have a couple options, I went with the totally ground (with corn) 17% feed. They did let me know they do not include enough calcium for the layers, which is not a problem for me. I offer oyster/egg shells for my girls due to feeding an all flock feed anyway. I have been slowly incorporating the new feed in with their old feed to get them accustomed to it. They don't seem to be a fan so far, which is SHOCKING to me as they are not usually picky from what I have seen. I'm hoping this feed will supplement everything they need as it's cheaper and a feel-good to support local business. A 40 pound bag from the Orschlens (farm/home store) is $16.99, while a 50 pound bag from the feed mill is $13.50. Pretty big price difference, especially when I'm feeding about 50 birds. I am going to start tracking how much feed (and how much $$) we are going through, to see if egg sales really do pay for it.
As a side note, the worker told me people have been buying their chicken feed like crazy lately. He said many people are under the influence that the commercial feeds have stopped or reduced their flock's egg production. He kind of chuckled and was obviously not into the idea. We both agreed that this is the middle of WINTER IN IOWA, and egg production slows down naturally this time of year.

 

[Missceegee]

Wow. Those prices are drastically lower that what I get here. I get 40 lb Nutrena All Flock for $24 a bag. I am considering getting from a local mill and it is 50 lb or $36 of non-gmo fresh milled monthly. I have near 60 birds.

 

[Happy hen lover]

Same story here in SW Neb. We have an orchelns and a local mill . My mill has 18%50# for 16.50 but hens not wild about it. They like the Purina layer that's only 16% for 18.50 from co op. So I buy mill one and use it for wet mash in am and have Purina for self feeders. Sometimes I mix them both together in feeders to stretch $ I think they get bored with feed, but that's probably in my mind.i do add vlk sunflower seeds and fish food to up their protein .

 

[Aunt Angus]

Just sharing as I want to keep this post updated with more information as I get it. I live in southeast Iowa & have been feeding an all-flock 16% feed (country lane) from Orschlens (farm/home store) for over a year. I recently discovered we have a local feed mill that makes their own chicken feed. They have a couple options, I went with the totally ground (with corn) 17% feed. They did let me know they do not include enough calcium for the layers, which is not a problem for me. I offer oyster/egg shells for my girls due to feeding an all flock feed anyway. I have been slowly incorporating the new feed in with their old feed to get them accustomed to it. They don't seem to be a fan so far, which is SHOCKING to me as they are not usually picky from what I have seen. I'm hoping this feed will supplement everything they need as it's cheaper and a feel-good to support local business. A 40 pound bag from the Orschlens (farm/home store) is $16.99, while a 50 pound bag from the feed mill is $13.50. Pretty big price difference, especially when I'm feeding about 50 birds. I am going to start tracking how much feed (and how much $$) we are going through, to see if egg sales really do pay for it.
As a side note, the worker told me people have been buying their chicken feed like crazy lately. He said many people are under the influence that the commercial feeds have stopped or reduced their flock's egg production. He kind of chuckled and was obviously not into the idea. We both agreed that this is the middle of WINTER IN IOWA, and egg production slows down naturally this time of year.

Man, I'd love to find something like that. Good for you!

 

[ChickyWhicky]

Bought a 2nd bag. So far so good. Only been a week. I dont really know how to determine if the mix is good, bad or somewhere in the middle. Can anybody tell me what they think? Heres the details:

 

[CanneyFarm]

Just sharing as I want to keep this post updated with more information as I get it. I live in southeast Iowa & have been feeding an all-flock 16% feed (country lane) from Orschlens (farm/home store) for over a year. I recently discovered we have a local feed mill that makes their own chicken feed. They have a couple options, I went with the totally ground (with corn) 17% feed. They did let me know they do not include enough calcium for the layers, which is not a problem for me. I offer oyster/egg shells for my girls due to feeding an all flock feed anyway. I have been slowly incorporating the new feed in with their old feed to get them accustomed to it. They don't seem to be a fan so far, which is SHOCKING to me as they are not usually picky from what I have seen. I'm hoping this feed will supplement everything they need as it's cheaper and a feel-good to support local business. A 40 pound bag from the Orschlens (farm/home store) is $16.99, while a 50 pound bag from the feed mill is $13.50. Pretty big price difference, especially when I'm feeding about 50 birds. I am going to start tracking how much feed (and how much $$) we are going through, to see if egg sales really do pay for it.
As a side note, the worker told me people have been buying their chicken feed like crazy lately. He said many people are under the influence that the commercial feeds have stopped or reduced their flock's egg production. He kind of chuckled and was obviously not into the idea. We both agreed that this is the middle of WINTER IN IOWA, and egg production slows down naturally this time of year.

I've been doing some studying again on feed for our 40 girls and came across this thread. I live in central Iowa and have a feed mixed at a feed mill. It is basically 2 ingredients... cracked corn and Purina Home Grown Multi-Purpose Poultry Supplement. 700 lbs of corn and 300 lbs of the Purina Supplement. The last load of feed that we just picked up today figures out to $14.31/50 lb. bag. The last time we bought a bag of 16% crumbles at a local elevator was a year ago and it was $18.88/50 lb. bag. I priced a bag of crumbles at a local TSC today, just for giggles, and it is going for $24!! Folks need to google feed mill and support the local feed mill. It's a win-win for all of us. You need to check out this Purina Supplement as it is 36% protein and it's calcium content is a minimum 2.5%, maximum 3.5% and have your mill mix it into your feed. Of course, we also offer free choice oyster shell, along with feeding crushed egg shells back to them (I have a couple customers that go through a lot of eggs save their shells for me). Now, my question I'm currently researching... I know this much corn in a layer's diet isn't the best for them, so I'd like to look into maybe reducing that 700 lbs of corn and add whole oats or crushed soybeans or whatever is good for the girls. My concern is that when eating cracked corn, their little bodies generate heat (which is great through our Iowa winters), and I'd like to help them make it through these awful summer temps we have anymore. Thoughts or suggestions?

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Bought a 2nd bag. So far so good. Only been a week. I dont really know how to determine if the mix is good, bad or somewhere in the middle. Can anybody tell me what they think? Heres the details:

View attachment 3402877

By the numbers, that's a decent "layer" formulation, better than some. I have some concerns w/ oats as the the first ingredient, due to the beta glucans (can be compensated for with certain enzymes), and with all the milk products (again, enzymes) - chickens have limited ability to digest milk proteins - and at mostly a loss as to why molasses is part of the mix - but based solely on the guarantee dnutritional label, you could certainly do worse.

 

[Cindy in PA]

I've been doing some studying again on feed for our 40 girls and came across this thread. I live in central Iowa and have a feed mixed at a feed mill. It is basically 2 ingredients... cracked corn and Purina Home Grown Multi-Purpose Poultry Supplement. 700 lbs of corn and 300 lbs of the Purina Supplement. The last load of feed that we just picked up today figures out to $14.31/50 lb. bag. The last time we bought a bag of 16% crumbles at a local elevator was a year ago and it was $18.88/50 lb. bag. I priced a bag of crumbles at a local TSC today, just for giggles, and it is going for $24!! Folks need to google feed mill and support the local feed mill. It's a win-win for all of us. You need to check out this Purina Supplement as it is 36% protein and it's calcium content is a minimum 2.5%, maximum 3.5% and have your mill mix it into your feed. Of course, we also offer free choice oyster shell, along with feeding crushed egg shells back to them (I have a couple customers that go through a lot of eggs save their shells for me). Now, my question I'm currently researching... I know this much corn in a layer's diet isn't the best for them, so I'd like to look into maybe reducing that 700 lbs of corn and add whole oats or crushed soybeans or whatever is good for the girls. My concern is that when eating cracked corn, their little bodies generate heat (which is great through our Iowa winters), and I'd like to help them make it through these awful summer temps we have anymore. Thoughts or suggestions?

Wouldn't soybeans be the major ingredient in the Purina Poultry supplement?

 

[NatJ]

My concern is that when eating cracked corn, their little bodies generate heat (which is great through our Iowa winters), and I'd like to help them make it through these awful summer temps we have anymore. Thoughts or suggestions?

Digesting any feed will generate heat in the chickens' bodies. It doesn't really matter whether they are digesting corn, or a corn-based feed, or a feed without corn: they generate heat anyway.

I have seen a suggestion to offer feed as a cold wet mash (just add cold water), and to especially offer it in the evening so they will fill their crops before sleeping (so more digestion happens during the night, which is usually less hot than the day.)

In general, the most common advice for chickens in hot weather is to provide lots of cool shady places for them to hang out, and let them dig dustbaths in the ground (because a few inches down can be enough cooler to make a difference.) And of course make sure they don't run out of water.