Have you tried WinCo Organic Layer Feed?

[artbykarenehaley]

Asked hubby to bring home chicken feed from Wilco, the chain farmstore in our area. (PNW)

He brought home about 3 days worth of organic layer feed from WinCo instead, as he was already at the grocery store and saw it in the bulk aisle. We would only be able to afford a full bag from Winco after payday this Friday; things have been extra tight this past six months.

Aside from the obvious that it's not cost effective at 1.58 ish per lb (I don't remember the exact cost but know it's way more per lb than buying a bag from a feed store, even the organic feed in my area is about 1$ per lb), does anyone have opinions about this feed? Has anyone tried it for their flock?

I'm not worried it will harm my birds, as we only have three days worth of it anyway. Just thought I'd see what you guys think.

Feed in the bag

Thin layer spread on my tabletop

 

[artbykarenehaley]

My thoughts:
It smells like fish and that's probably what the protein source is.

It looks more like scratch grains than a balanced diet.

It does include oyster shell fragments.

There are no pellets. It's like dusty fish food mixed with bird seed.

 

[Brooks_]

It looks more like scratch grains than a balanced diet.

My thought as well. They will likely pick out favorite pieces. Making it into a wet mix might make them get more balance from it. Would like to see the ingredient/nutrition tag.

 

[artbykarenehaley]

My thought as well. They will likely pick out favorite pieces. Making it into a wet mix might make them get more balance from it. Would like to see the ingredient/nutrition tag.

Me as well. Wasn't with him when he picked it up, and couldn't find the nutrition information on the website. I asked their customer service people on Facebook to tell me what's in it and they said it could take up to three days to respond with that information. I'll be going back there this weekend and can take a picture.

 

[LadiesAndJane]

I have purchased something similar in the past. I could not handle the fish smell personally and the birds did indeed pick out the “good bits” and leave the rest.
Do not recall exactly who it was, but there was a BYC member that posted a long thread about a similar type of feed that unfortunately left her birds malnourished as they only picked out the favorite seeds. You’re better off with a crumble or pellet type feed for a complete balanced diet for your birds. Probably cheaper too.

 

[Brooks_]

I have purchased something similar in the past. I could not handle the fish smell personally and the birds did indeed pick out the “good bits” and leave the rest.
Do not recall exactly who it was, but there was a BYC member that posted a long thread about a similar type of feed that unfortunately left her birds malnourished as they only picked out the favorite seeds. You’re better off with a crumble or pellet type feed for a complete balanced diet for your birds. Probably cheaper too.

OP said that shopper had basically bought the wrong feed and would only be used as a stop-gap. So I don't think there is much of an overall nutrition risk. Otherwise, I agree.

 

[artbykarenehaley]

I have purchased something similar in the past. I could not handle the fish smell personally and the birds did indeed pick out the “good bits” and leave the rest.
Do not recall exactly who it was, but there was a BYC member that posted a long thread about a similar type of feed that unfortunately left her birds malnourished as they only picked out the favorite seeds. You’re better off with a crumble or pellet type feed for a complete balanced diet for your birds. Probably cheaper too.

Exactly what I think about this stuff. I think I mentioned that even bagged organic stuff from the chain farm store, Wilco, is only a dollar per pound compared to this. It costs around 1.58 more or less. The conventional I usually buy them is about .52 per pound.

The chickens are able to pick out the corn and groats, and my big boss lady hen wants only the powdery fish smelling stuff. Which makes her sneeze that cute high pitched chicawww, and I feel bad for her.

My birds seem to love it, they descend on it like bull sharks to chum, so I might use it as a treat once in a while. My cat tried to get into it. The smell is like a dock fish dumpster. Blegh!

I don't think I will use it regularly.

 

[artbykarenehaley]

Me as well. Wasn't with him when he picked it up, and couldn't find the nutrition information on the website. I asked their customer service people on Facebook to tell me what's in it and they said it could take up to three days to respond with that information. I'll be going back there this weekend and can take a picture.

They sent me the ingredients and nutrition information from their manufacturer.

 

[artbykarenehaley]

Whats the cinnamon bark oil for?

 

[artbykarenehaley]

They sent me the ingredients and nutrition information from their manufacturer.

View attachment 3304943

I asked WinCo customer service who is the manufacturer and they said it was Scratch and Peck feeds