The feed thread

[Laurie]

I started with the crappy Kaytee Treat food because I didn't know any better! Then I found the forum and learned Mazuri was a better feed and I could get it at a pet store here. Then I found a local feed store I could get the Mazuri even cheaper at, but then I noticed loose poos and went to a seminar given by Gene Adcock and learned Mazuri was what he considered the worst of the good quality feed for chins. He recommended swithing to Nutrena Rabbit which I could also get at the same local feed store! woot! And it's cheaper than the Mazuri was. My chins love the Nutrena and I haven't had loose poos on the 2 plus years they've been on it.

 

[AmandaDi]

I started on Mazuri - didn't hate it but two of my chins had problems and the vet tied it to the food. After one passed I switched to APD and the second chin didn't have any more of his normal problems.

I fed APD for a long time and I love it - I quit using it when they stopped selling it in 25lb bags and shipping 5 separate 10lb bags killed me!

I then switched to PANR because it seemed to have a good rec and it was sold locally for 1/4 of what I paid for 50lb of APD. I really liked it. I am now on the new version of PANR, PRC Show. I have no complaints!

 

[Megan]

Started with Mazuri, never had a problem with it but it got too expensive as I expanded.

Switched to Tradition, I LOVED it, but I had to drive out to Ohio to get it, and I had an illness pass through my herd. I thought possibly the feed.

Switched to Pen Pals- HATED it, the animals didn't thrive, they lost weight, wasted A LOT of pellets.

I switched BACK to tradition, and was able to get it only 2 hours away instead of 6+. As long as I can get tradition near me; it's all i'll use.

 

[Siylvat]

What do you use now?
PANR Show.

What have I used in the past? Why Switch?
We started with Mazuri. That was just too expensive though, so we switched to Manna Pro Sho. The chins did well on that, but it was really difficult to get locally. We found a place about 40 minutes away that sells PANR Sho. So we switched to that, and they have been doing great on it.

Do you get it local？
Semi-local, yes. About 40 min drive.

 

[jags]

We have used Tradition for many years.

Tried mixing 1/3 local show rabbit feeds with 2/3's of the Tradition a few years ago to try and cut the cost as I was driving to Ohio to pick up the Tradition and it was getting costly. Did not seem to make much difference on the animals.

We now have become a Tradition dealer and get the feed delivered right to us 6 tons at a time from the Indiana mill. Things look to be working well.

 

[Sycamore Chins]

We started on Mazuri and loved it. Decided to cut costs a little, we'd mix in Shoots feed. Chins did excellent on that, but we couldn't get out to Shoots or shows often enough to get feed and Mazuri was getting too expensive so we switched to PenPals beginning of last year.

We have had the worst 6 months here ever - on top of that the chins just never empty their bowls, they leave loads of tiny pieces of food and sometimes just grind it to dust - we were wasting a lot of feed.

So yesterday I did a cold switch to Purina Rabbit Chow Show - so far I'm pleased, the food smells and looks a billion times better than PenPals and the chins didn't leave ANY little bits this morning! Hopefully this will help turn things around with our herd - and hopefully it won't affect our show placings.

 

[Maia]

My boy eats Mazuri. It's what he's always eaten and he does well on it. No loose poos here.
I have not tried anything else since it's not expensive for one chin and we have no problems.
I order online, from Camphor Chins.

 

[Dragonflye]

I started with Mazuri and used it for around 5 years because it was cheap, and easy to get locally in a 25 lb bag. Then the guys started with loose poos and I switched to Oxbow.

Well Oxbow is pretty expensive here and I have 21 chins right now, so thinking of switching to a rabbit food which I could probably get more easily in large bags through local feed stores. From reading this thread it seems like PRC Show is a good food. Are there any rabbit foods that are better or as good?

 

[Becky]

I've always fed Tradition. The chins love it!

I used to drive half an hour to meet Randy and pick up feed, but now they deliver it to me and even unload it. Can't ask for more than that!

 

[Stackie]

We now have become a Tradition dealer and get the feed delivered right to us 6 tons at a time from the Indiana mill. Things look to be working well.

Where is the Indiana mill located?

 

[chincinnati]

I use Shoots feed. I started with Tradition and was able to buy locally after asking a feed store to order it for me. Problem was they decided after a while to buy it in bulk instead of the few bags I needed. That of coarse resulted in old feed and did not like how it was stored there over time either. Decided that since the rabbit food was super fresh around here I swithed to PANR and was happy until right about the change time. I didn't know it was coming and have a feeling they changed the feed recipe before the bag because most of my chins had unexpected problems. I spent bookoo bucks at a vet having stools run and nothing ever came of it (thank goodness). Vet insisted it was the feed, I insisted it was the same feed I had been using. I swithced to Shoots after that. The vet was right. Never another problem and chins have been doing great on it since.

 

[suzi1780]

I think i'm the only one that feeds Manna Pro Sho so far in this thread.

I feed Manna Pro Show as well :thumbsup: For awhile I fed Mazuri but decided to switch over to PRCS in hopes of getting Maddie to gain some weight. My chins did fine on it but with the change over in feeds I decided to switch them over to Manna Pro. They have been on it for a month or so now. All the girls really like it, I have much less wasted pellets now.

 

[vickvela1414]

I started out feeding Kline to my chins. All were doing well on it and I had no complaints. After getting a free "sample" of Shoot's feed from Ralph I started ordering some from TWF to mix in with the kline. The chins were doing great on it and bulking up.
Lately however, I've been in the process of moving. So instead of paying $45 bucks for a bag of kline (which was manageable when a bag lasted a month or two) I've decided to look into PRCS and Manna Pro.
Turns out that Manna Pro has a mill not even 20 minutes away from me in tampa! I'm currently working on switching everyone over to it, so far so good. PLUS it is only about $15 a bag since I can pick it up right at the mill.

 

[Spoof]

I started out feeding Kline to my chins.

I didn't think anyone still fed the Kline diet. It is a very good diet, just not easily accessible.

I've tried almost every commercially available feed and the local ones with the exception of Tradition and a few of the Northeastern feeds. No place I've lived has been able to get it.

I've found at some point the ingredients change or the mill has a bad batch and I end up moving on. It usually has nothing to do with the feed itself, but the ingredients in the area I'm in. It seemed like in the PNW no matter what feed you fed you would have a few bouts with squishy poo every year - 60-100% of your herd would get it for a month or two then it would go away.

Haven't had it since moving to the south - and I used the same Purina feed, and have actually been through six feeds here. Petrus, Manna Pro types, and all the local Purina types. What I'm looking for is a feed that will keep weight on them that they don't waste. This is my third full week on the Purina Professional. Today I noticed the chins are at 1/3 of the intake they were on the blue or green bags, there is no wastage and everyone is starting on a decline in weight again. They aren't touching the alfalfa cubes vs. going through 3-4 a week each on the green bag. I'm guessing this feed is too high in something and I'll need to mix it with a lower quality feed that has more roughage/fiber products in it.

I wish I used enough to mill my own, but I don't.

 

[jags]

I have had real good luck with getting fresh feed. When I call in an order the feed is milled the next week and is here the day after it is made. My feed and Becky's is made at this Location:

Hubbard Feeds Inc. - Shipshewana, IN
135 Main Street / PO Box 156
Shipshewana, IN 46565
(800)552-2092
Fax: (260)768-4529

 

[starleomach]

I fed Mazuri originally was great for several years then they changed something out here and my kit rate of survival dropped. my animals lost weight and seemed run down....

So I switched to Tradition. Worked good I was happy but it got hard to get and I go through about 50-75lbs a week so I needed feed I could get easier so going to the same seminar Laurie did in WIl I switched to nutrina I have been very happy with it. I can get it at the feed store on the way home from work and the animals love it.

 

[cindyv3737]

I feed Oxbow. That is what Shelly was fed at Petsmart. When I got her I didn't want to change her feed. After joining the forum I learned it was a good feed. So I've kept her on it. She likes it. Her poops are good and her weight is steady.

 

[scamperlittletika]

What are you feeding now? a combo of sunseed sunnaturals and oxbow.

What else have you tried? Why did you switch? we started feeding sunseed when we purchased our first chin..after joining cnh I decided to try some oxbow. scamper wont touch his sunseed anymore, just wants oxbow and tika I am pretty sure would eat anything. she enjoys both.

Do you get your feed locally? just from a chain store...

 

[arf2184]

Right now I'm mixing Fibre3 and PRCS. I think I'm going to switch to just the PRCS though since everyone seems to be eating it fine now.

I fed Mazuri for several years, but then all the chins all at once decided they didn't want to eat it anymore. I tried a local rabbit feed for a few months, but the chins didn't do well on it. Then I switched to Purina feeds...milled not far from home. Not sure that I'm 100% happy with them, but they are available and work well enough. Lots of hay helps too.

 

[vickvela1414]

I didn't think anyone still fed the Kline diet. It is a very good diet, just not easily accessible.

That's also part of the reason why I am switching to Manna Pro. The only two people I know that sell Kline in bulk are Ann Ingram, and Lyn Shuster. I have to drive to Orlando to get it from Lyn, and Ann lives in NC! :hair: