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Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Local Guys.

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After years of disappointment vis a vis finding a high quality, non-Chinese-made-ingredient poultry feed that was also affordable, I heard about a local supplier and glommed onto them faster than white on rice.  They mix and grind their own poultry feed, along with sheep, goat, llama and equine feeds.  My chickens L.U.V. their feed.  It smells so good, I like to drive around for a few days with a couple of 50# bags in the back of my car.  That may have to do with the fact that there's molasses in it.... None of the ingredients are from China.  Most of the ingredients (with the exception of oats - from Canada) are grown in Massachusetts.  Plus, it is reasonable in an age of rocketing feed prices and they are really, really, really nice people. 

It is a no-frills place, a big, barn-like structure with an open bay that you back into.  Robby is always grinding feed and filling bags when I pull in - covered in dust with a big smile.  They heat their little office with a small wood burning stove and receipts are hand-written.  They also load your car/truck.  It's only a 15-20 minute drive, which is equal to a hop, skip & jump where I live.

If I ordered even more, I could custom-mix my feed.  If I COULD afford to order more at a time, I would add more calcium and add kelp meal.  But, for my small flock, it is easier to just add it myself.  I also add Diatomaceous Earth (food grade) to keep parasites at a minimum.  Rule of thumb?  Every time I start to see a messy chicken butt, I add DE to their feed.  So far (fingers crossed) it works like a charm.

2 comments:

Mama Pea said...

Yay!! I'm so glad you found this source! What a treat to go to a place like this to get your feed, isn't it? May the small business owners prosper forever!

Susan said...

Amen to that. There are so very few of them around.