6 Best Flock Raiser Crumbles For Mixed Poultry Old Farmers Swear By
Discover the 6 flock raiser crumbles that seasoned farmers trust for mixed poultry. We review top picks for balanced nutrition and optimal flock health.
Keeping a mixed flock of chickens, ducks, and maybe a few turkeys is one of the great joys of hobby farming, but feeding them can be a real chore. A good all-flock crumble simplifies everything, letting you fill every feeder from the same bag. After years of trial and error, a few brands consistently rise to the top for keeping a diverse flock healthy and productive.
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Why a Good All-Flock Crumble is Essential
Trying to manage separate feeds for different species is a fast track to frustration. You’ll have chickens eating high-protein turkey starter, ducks getting into medicated chick feed (which can be toxic to them), and a mess of half-empty bags cluttering your feed room. It’s inefficient and creates unnecessary risk.
An all-flock or flock-raiser formula is designed as a universal baseline. It provides balanced nutrition that is safe for a variety of poultry at different life stages. The goal is simplification—one feed that meets the fundamental needs of everyone, from a growing pullet to a laying duck, freeing up your time and mental energy for other farm tasks.
Purina Flock Raiser: The Time-Tested Classic
When in doubt, you can’t go wrong with Purina Flock Raiser. This is the feed many of us started with, and for good reason. It’s a consistent, reliable product with a 20% protein level that supports growth in young birds and provides enough fuel for adult layers, especially waterfowl.
The biggest advantage of Flock Raiser is its ubiquity. You can find it at nearly any feed store or Tractor Supply across the country, ensuring you never have to make a sudden, stressful feed switch. It’s a no-frills, high-quality crumble that simply works, making it a benchmark against which all other all-flock feeds are measured.
Nutrena NatureWise: For Healthy, Hardy Birds
Nutrena’s NatureWise line is for the farmer who wants to invest a little more in preventative health. This feed goes beyond basic nutrition, incorporating prebiotics, probiotics, and essential oils to support immune function and digestive health. If you’ve struggled with stressed birds or want to give your flock an extra edge, this is a fantastic choice.
Typically formulated at 18% protein, it’s an ideal maintenance ration for a mature mixed flock. While it’s perfect for adult chickens and ducks, keep in mind that you may need to supplement with a higher-protein feed for very young turkeys or meat birds. It’s a trade-off: you get superior gut health support in exchange for a slightly less aggressive growth formula.
DuMOR All Flock: The Practical, Affordable Pick
Let’s be practical: feed is one of the biggest recurring costs on a small farm. DuMOR, Tractor Supply’s house brand, is the undisputed champion of affordability. It’s a straightforward, 20% protein crumble that provides solid nutrition without the premium price tag.
You won’t find fancy additives like essential oils or specialized probiotics here. What you get is a dependable feed that covers all the nutritional bases for chickens, ducks, geese, and turkeys. For the farmer on a tight budget or someone running a larger flock where costs add up fast, DuMOR is a smart, workhorse solution that gets the job done.
Manna Pro All Flock: Probiotics for Gut Health
Manna Pro has carved out a niche by focusing heavily on digestive wellness. Their All Flock crumble is fortified with probiotics to help establish and maintain healthy gut flora. This is particularly useful for young birds or flocks that have experienced stress, leading to issues like pasty butt or loose droppings.
With an 18% protein formula, it’s another excellent choice for a maintenance feed. Manna Pro is also reliably non-medicated, which is a critical factor if you have ducks or geese in your flock, as they should never have medicated feed. It strikes a great balance between advanced gut support and a reasonable price point.
Kalmbach 18% All-Purpose: The Balanced Blend
Kalmbach is a brand that has earned a lot of trust for its focus on high-quality ingredients and consistent formulas. Their 18% All-Purpose crumble is a perfect example of a well-balanced feed designed for the long-term health of a mature, mixed flock. It provides everything they need without pushing for maximum growth.
Like some of its competitors, Kalmbach includes its own proprietary blend of prebiotics, probiotics, and enzymes to aid digestion and nutrient absorption. It’s a premium feed that reflects a commitment to flock wellness, making it a favorite for farmers who are willing to pay a bit more for peace of mind and observable results in their birds’ feathering and energy levels.
Scratch and Peck Grower: The Top Organic Choice
For those committed to an organic, non-GMO, and soy-free operation, Scratch and Peck is the gold standard. This isn’t your typical crumble; it’s often a blend of whole organic grains that you can feed as-is or, ideally, ferment to unlock more nutrients and improve digestibility. It’s a fundamentally different approach to poultry nutrition.
This choice comes with significant trade-offs. The cost is considerably higher, and it requires more labor if you choose to ferment. However, for hobby farmers whose primary goal is producing the cleanest, most natural food for their own family, the extra expense and effort are a worthy investment. It’s a philosophy as much as it is a feed.
Choosing the Right Crumble for Your Mixed Flock
The "best" all-flock feed doesn’t exist. The right feed is the one that best matches your specific situation. Before you buy a bag, consider these points:
- Flock Composition: Do you have turkeys or meat birds that need higher protein (20%+) for rapid growth? Or is it mostly adult chickens and ducks who will thrive on an 18% maintenance feed?
- Your Budget: Be realistic about what you can afford long-term. A basic, affordable feed like DuMOR is far better than constantly switching between premium brands whenever money is tight.
- Your Goals: Are you raising birds for meat, eggs, or just for enjoyment? Are you committed to an organic philosophy? Your answer will narrow the choices significantly.
Ultimately, the decision comes down to a simple framework. For young, fast-growing flocks, a 20% protein crumble like Purina or DuMOR is a safe bet. For stable, mature flocks, an 18% formula with added health benefits from Nutrena or Kalmbach is an excellent investment. And if your values dictate an organic path, Scratch and Peck is your clear choice.
The right all-flock crumble simplifies your daily chores and is a cornerstone of good animal husbandry. Choose a quality brand that fits your flock’s needs and your budget, and you’ll be rewarded with healthy, active birds. Spend less time worrying in the feed aisle and more time enjoying your flock.
