# texture of starter feed



## conchoreb (Jan 9, 2016)

The two bags of starter feed that I began giving my chicks 6 weeks ago have been very powdery. It looks to be about 50% powder. I may be overstating the % but I sifted ALOT out of some today. The chicks don't seem to be eating the powder just digging and pecking through it to get the granules. Is this type feed supposed to be this consistency?


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## Nm156 (May 16, 2015)

Sometimes you'll get a bag that has a lot of fines in it.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

And a bag that is full of fines should be returned to the feed store. I took back 200 pounds once. You are paying for the feed to be edible not for a bunch of powder.

If you kept the fines, take them to your dealer and show them what came out of the bag. If they're worth your time, they will provide you with a replacement bag. It's best if you keep the original bag so they can see the mill date and production number. You don't want more of the same because I've seen a whole production line be bad.


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## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

It can also depend on what brand of feed it is. I've seen powdery feed in Southern States, Purina, and one or two others (forgot the brand names, been a long time.) Sometimes weevils reduce crumbles or pellets down to powder also, robbing birds from needed nutrients and minerals. 
Powder dust can sometimes clog the nares (nostrils) which presents a problem especially when birds first eat in the mornings when they are hungriest.
I forgot to add that if you ever see dry "feed balls" inside a sack, return it where you bought it. It means that the feed was somehow exposed to moisture and then it dried.


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

Yea I think everyone expects to see some fines or dust in the feed. A lot would irritate me. Check the date on the bag.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

It happened to me more times that it should have over the years. After returning so many bags so many times I wanted to know why it was happening. I was told the mill wasn't cleaning the screens but it goes further than that. They crush pellets to make crumbles, if those operating the equipment dial the force to crush the pellets to much it creates more fines than crumbles. 

I got in to it with Purina over this happening. I would get crumbles that were fine for a long time then up pops multiple bags of too many fines. Same happened with the local mill I'm now using and with the co-op I had in TN. 

I did hear about Southern States and their feed having a lot of fines. That seems to be normal for them and one of the reasons I never bought their feed.


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## Nm156 (May 16, 2015)

My last bag of starter was a bit on the fine side, I wasn't surprised because i watched them unload it from the bottom of the pallet that was 12' tall full of dog food.


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## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

I had to change feed store because of that and the cracked corn was half whole corn that will not go through feeder.I can and will take my business elsewhere.The feed store I go to is farther but have not had any problems with them,they are a really good group of people.If you think there's something wrong with your feed-take it back.Feeding your chickens inferior food will cause illness/death.


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## conchoreb (Jan 9, 2016)

Thanks to all for helping this beginner I will follow up with feed store. I also appreciate learning a new term--that was really "fine" of y'all! And though after that statement I shouldn't need to say it, I am from the south--one poster commented that fines showed up more down here.


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## Nm156 (May 16, 2015)

Southern States is a brand.


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## conchoreb (Jan 9, 2016)

Shazam! Now I feel foolish. Well I did say I was a beginner. I will avoid that brand. The bags I've bought have the locally owned store's name on them.


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## Nm156 (May 16, 2015)

Does the feed look like pellets that have been broken up?Or do you actually see pieces of grain?
It is possible that they have a"mash" that has been milled for them.


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## conchoreb (Jan 9, 2016)

There may be ground up corn but nothing else I can identify as grain. I found a whole corn kernel and a few yellow speck I assume is corn. Everything else looks like ground pellets and fine that is coarser than flour and finer than corn meal.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

We love to help those new to chickens. What we can be unhappy about is not asking and the birds suffering because the person didn't ask. Every single one of us was new at one time. We've had others help us along the way and we've each learned things on our own.

I have come across chick feed that had crumbles to large in the past. That one can be remedied by grinding it smaller. 

I would talk to your feed store. They may not even be aware of the issue, I know that when I took bags back the feed store didn't know it had happened until I brought proof back to them.


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## MikeA_15 (Feb 21, 2016)

As soon as bird's mature enough, I get them started on a mini-pellet. There's less waste. Mash is generally powder. A crumble ration should not be. It should also be palatable and smell fresh so birds will find it appealing. It may sound funny, but I've even taste tested feed to see if it is acceptable.


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## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

MikeA_15 said:


> As soon as bird's mature enough, I get them started on a mini-pellet. There's less waste. Mash is generally powder. A crumble ration should not be. It should also be palatable and smell fresh so birds will find it appealing. It may sound funny, but I've even taste tested feed to see if it is acceptable.


Whatever you do Mike, dont taste test scratch aka "crack." You'll become addicted like my Barred Rocks and will require a little "fix" each morning. LOL


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## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

Speaking of scratch, I usually buy a 10lb bag for my birds. The last 2 times the scratch had weevils in it. Since it's scratch and not regular feed, I keep it in the freezer until I refill the treat container. The weevils are frozen to death.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

One of the things we need to remember, just because we can buy something does not mean everyone can. dawg, I've never seen scratch in ten pound bags any where I've lived. I searched for a couple of years before I found where I could buy private mill feed that contained pork. I also remember how everyone said I should buy this or that but this or that was not available in my area. 

What we should all do is not to just buy what is on the shelves. My search for the private mill is an example that going beyond the simple could pay off handsomely for our birds.


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## MikeA_15 (Feb 21, 2016)

dawg53 said:


> Whatever you do Mike, dont taste test scratch aka "crack." You'll become addicted like my Barred Rocks and will require a little "fix" each morning. LOL


I certainly don't want to be a crack head. Scratch is a limited treat for my birds. I give a little more during the cold months. I get a real clean organic scratch here with no sunflower, and you can buy it in 10# or 50#. Barred Rocks are little gluttons to begin with. Every one I ever had was very enthusiastic about feed, lol.


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## conchoreb (Jan 9, 2016)

Speaking of mini-pellets and scratch, how old should they be before they can have these?


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

32 chickens share 1 quart of scratch a day here. It's not a lot and they spend a lot of time eating every morsel.


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## MikeA_15 (Feb 21, 2016)

conchoreb said:


> Speaking of mini-pellets and scratch, how old should they be before they can have these?


 Somewhere between 6-8 weeks you could switch. Just make sure the grower/finisher pellets offer similar nutrient levels. Here is an example from a reputable feed mill:

http://www.modestomilling.com/poultry.html


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