Feeding questions & answers

Store feed in clean, dry conditions away from moisture. Keep storage containers clean and dry, and protect the feed from rain, leaks, and damp surfaces.

Freshness should not be a mystery. Tucker Milling prints a readable manufacturing date and time so you can see when your feed was made, down to the minute. There is no Julian date code to decipher.

Set the feed aside and do not feed it if you suspect spoilage or contamination. Keep the bag and its manufacturing stamp, take photos, and contact Tucker Milling or the dealer where you bought it so the concern can be investigated. Report a product concern →

Use our dealer locator, then call the store to confirm the exact feed and bag size. The locator identifies Tucker dealers; it does not show live inventory. Find a dealer →

Use the feeding directions for this specific product and situation. Body weight, work, forage, and body condition matter; feeding amounts are measured in pounds, not scoops. Calculate pounds and bag duration →

Weigh the empty scoop, then weigh it filled as you normally feed it and subtract the empty weight. Different feeds can weigh different amounts in the same scoop. Recheck when you change feeds; the feeding directions are based on weight.

A fortified feed is intended to be fed at its recommended rate. A small handful may supply too little of its vitamin and mineral fortification. If your horse needs fewer calories, consider a ration balancer suited to the forage and feeding situation rather than simply cutting a conventional feed below its directions. Review Ultra Balancer →

Yes. Divide the bag price by its weight in pounds, then multiply by your daily feeding amount. Compare feeds at their own recommended rates and include any forage or supplements the feeding program needs. Your dealer can provide the current bag price.

Make feed changes gradually, replacing a little of the old feed with the new feed at a time over about two weeks. Keep forage and water available, follow each product’s directions, and monitor appetite, manure, and body condition. Ask for an individual plan if your horse has a health concern. Read University of Minnesota guidance →

Look at chewing ability, body condition, and the horse’s ability to use its current ration, as well as age. Dental problems or unexplained weight loss need veterinary assessment. A feed called “senior” does not automatically replace hay; check the specific product’s directions. Discuss your horse’s feeding plan →

Ultra Balancer is concentrated and is fed in much smaller amounts than conventional horse feeds. The percentage describes the feed, not the whole diet. For example, 1 pound of a 30% protein feed supplies 0.3 pound of crude protein. Evaluate that contribution together with forage and the rest of the ration, using Ultra Balancer’s own feeding directions.

No. Ultra Balancer complements a forage-based diet. Its concentrated feeding amounts differ from those of complete or conventional feeds; use its own directions.

The published directions permit softening with warm water. Follow the product’s instructions for preparation and meal size; if your horse cannot eat hay, ask for a complete feeding plan.

Tucker Milling does not make a donkey-specific feed. Donkeys need fewer calories than a pony of the same size, so base the diet on barley or oat straw mixed with grass hay, with little or no lush pasture, and feed a small amount of Eqceed Ultra Balancer, scaled to the donkey’s weight, for vitamins and minerals. Feed Eqceed 12, a low-starch feed, only to a donkey that needs more calories: one in steady work, an older donkey losing condition, or an underweight one. An overweight donkey is at risk of laminitis and hyperlipemia, so never feed a donkey like a horse. Ask about your donkeys →

Tucker Milling does not make a pony- or miniature horse-specific feed. Base the diet on grass hay and limit lush pasture, since ponies and minis are prone to obesity and laminitis. Feed Eqceed Ultra Balancer, in an amount scaled to the animal’s weight, for vitamins and minerals with very few calories. For a pony or mini that needs more calories, such as one in regular work, an older one losing condition, or an underweight one, feed Eqceed 12, a high-fat, low-starch feed, by weight and adjusted to body condition. Ask about your pony or mini →

Follow the feeding stages on the specific bag. Start chicks on an appropriate starter, use a grower or developer for growing pullets, and move hens to an appropriate layer feed as they approach laying, according to the product directions. Meat birds, turkeys, and gamebirds need their own feeding programs. Find a feed for your birds →

Layer feed has calcium levels intended for egg production and is not an appropriate starter for young chicks. Keep chicks on feed suited to their age. If chicks share a feeder with adult layers, ask for a mixed-age feeding plan. Check your mixed-age flock →

The youngest birds, species, and laying status all matter. Use the mixed-flock options to account for chickens, waterfowl, and other birds sharing the feeder. Check your mixed flock →

For a flock with actively laying hens, our poultry finder still recommends an appropriate layer feed and explains the shared-feeder consideration. A developer feed with oyster shell offered separately is an alternative to discuss for your particular flock. Find a feed for your flock →

Insoluble grit helps the gizzard grind foods such as whole grains. Oyster shell supplies calcium and serves a different purpose; the two are not interchangeable. Use age-appropriate grit when birds need it, and plan calcium supplementation around their laying status and complete feed. Ask about your flock →

No. Scratch grains are not a complete diet. Keep an appropriate complete feed as the foundation of the feeding program and offer scratch as an occasional treat, rather than mixing it into the complete feed and changing the nutrient balance. Read University of Georgia guidance →

Provide an appropriate complete feed, fresh water, and consistent care while birds replace feathers. Avoid diluting their ration with large amounts of scratch or treats. Review the flock’s laying status and shared-feeder needs when choosing the feed. Read the Backyard Flock Moulting Guide →

Tucker Milling does not make an emu-specific feed. For growing and adult emus, feed Show Flock Developer, a 20% protein pellet. Emus need more fiber than a poultry feed supplies, so mix in alfalfa pellets at about 2 parts Developer to 1 part alfalfa pellets by weight (3 to 1 for young growing birds), and give them pasture or hay. For laying and breeding emus, feed Quail & Game Bird Layer/Breeder and offer oyster shell free choice. For emu chicks, feed Show Flock Starter, then move them to Developer and alfalfa pellets as they grow. Ask about your emus →

Show Flock and NatureCrest complete feeds provide more than sufficient niacin for ducks and geese. Additional niacin is not needed when the appropriate complete feed is fed as directed. Read the waterfowl feeding guide →

Tucker Milling does not make a pot-bellied or mini pig feed. Feed NatureCrest Swine Feed in two measured meals a day, not free choice, and add grass hay or leafy vegetables for fiber. Do not feed Swine Starter Grower or Swine Finisher: they are made for fast growth in market hogs and will make a pet pig obese. Ask our nutritionist how much to feed for your pig’s weight and age. Ask about your pig →

Check the species listed on the bag and all cautions before sharing feed. Products with added copper may carry a warning against feeding sheep. “All stock” is not permission to feed every animal. Ask about your animals →

NatureCrest Multi Species Feed and FarmCrest 16% Sweet All Stock are safe for sheep, as confirmed directly by Tucker Milling. This confirmation applies to these two formulas only; it does not cover FarmCrest 12%, FarmCrest 14%, or other all-stock feeds. Their current online product pages do not give sheep feeding amounts. Before feeding either, ask our nutritionist about the current formula and the amount for your sheep, and check the bag’s directions and cautions. If the tag or advice differs from this confirmation, do not feed it until Tucker resolves the question. Read the sheep feeding guide →

Include the animal’s species, age or life stage, approximate weight or body condition, current feed and daily amount, forage or pasture, and your goal. For a flock, include the species and ages sharing the feeder and whether hens are laying. Send your feeding question →