BIG TUNA

I'm hanging a deer feeder this coming month. I am trying to choose which seeds to fill it with. I live near a farmer co-op, so I can get a real good variety of seeds cheap. I'll buy a variety of sacks and mix them together myself. I'm thinking of making a corn, alfalfa, soy and oat mix. What four grains would you mix together?

TexasOaks

[align=left]RECOMMENDED NUTRIENT LEVEL IN DEER DIETS by: Larry W. Varner, Ph.D.[/align][align=left] Deer Needs Content in Grains[/align][align=left]Nutrients Adults Fawns Corn Milo Wheat[/align][align=left]Crude Protein, %13-14 16 9.90 10.10 13.10[/align][align=left]TDN, % 60-68a 65 80.00 76.00 77.00[/align][align=left]Calcium, % 0.4-0.75b 0.6 0.03 0.040.05[/align][align=left]Phosphorus, % 0.3-0.45b 0.4 0.28 0.30 0.35[/align][align=left]Magnesium, % 0.25 0.25 0.10 0.13 0.14[/align][align=left]Potassium, % 0.6 0.75 0.33 0.31 0.41[/align][align=left]Selenium, ppm 0.25 0.25 0.13 0.20 0.25[/align][align=left]Cobalt, ppm 0.3 0.3 0.38 0.50 0.40[/align][align=left]Copper, ppm 15 18 3.50 4.30 5.80[/align][align=left]Iron, ppm250 290 40.00 50.00 60.00[/align][align=left]Manganese, ppm 100 110 5.70 15.80 41.50[/align][align=left]Iodine, ppm 1 1 >0.01 >0.01 0.25[/align][align=left]Zinc, ppm 75 100 20.00 17.00 31.00[/align][align=left]Vitamin A,1U/1b 2000 3000 4000.00 180.00 0.00[/align][align=left]Vitamin D, 1U/1b 500 550 0.00 0.00 0.00[/align][align=left]Vitamin E, 1U/1b 40 60 9.00 5.50 7.10[/align][align=left][/align][align=left]My recommendation is to go with a pellet made froma feedmill. That's what we put in our feeders. The pellets are 22% protein, and havephosphorus, calcium, vitamins, etc (50lb bag for 7.15) All around what you need pretty much.[/align][align=left][/align][align=left]Costs[/align][align=left]Corn- 6.15 50lb[/align][align=left]Soybean- 11.35 50lb[/align][align=left]Milo- not sure guessing 5.75 50lb[/align][align=left]Wheat- not sure guessing 5.75 50lb[/align][align=left][/align][align=left]Avg cost per 50 lbs is 7.25[/align][align=left][/align][align=left]Soybeans are really good source of nutrientsbut they are costing a fortune right now, 35% protein,but I have read protein over 20% will give youa declining marginal utility(meaning goes to waste). [/align][align=left][/align][align=left]You will get higher nutrients valuethrough a good pelletas well as a more cost effective approachthan probably trying to mix your own seeds. If you gowith the pellets,you need tostart a mixwith corn to get them use to eating the pelllets.Good Luck[/align]

txjourneyman

Wow. I feel so inadequate now with just using corn and all!

TexasOaks

Curios to know what others put in their feeders? Ya, I said it, feeders.

Hotburn76

I have mainly only used corn in the past. When you say seeds, I have never heard of anyone feeding alfalfa seeds to deer. They are real small not much bigger then sand grains and I cant see a deer eating them. I have put out rolled oats last fall but they ferment real fast in damp conditions in my area, but the deer liked them. I recently put up a new feeder and had big plans of using Purina's antlermax feeds mixed with corn, started out with 25%. But for some reason the deer do not like it at all. The deer are rooting threw and kicking out the Purina feed and only eating the corn. I shut the feeder off and put some of the Purina feed on the ground and when I came back they had kicked it out of the way! So Purina is out for me, maybe works on pen raised deer that have that as there only option or in area where the is not much forage food, but in my area it is not liked by the deer.

After saying what I did above the next time I go out I plan on putting in a mix of 75% corn and 25% soybeans. I have read that deer will eat the soybeans but you have to mix a little in first to get them started. So I will be trying that on Monday when I go back out and pull my card on the camera and fill the feeder.

TexasOaks

Seems to high of a concentration of corn for spring time going into summer,you want to start getting out as much protein as possible right now. Go with 50/50 and work your way to more soybeans.

TexasOaks

whoops

Windwalker7

I also have trouble getting deer to eat anything but corn from my backyard feeder.

I tried soybeans, and several brands of deer feed.

I have a problem with the feed getting wet after it lays on the ground.

They really go after that corn. I tried mixing the corn about 3 to 1 with the soy beans and feed at various times. As stated above, they root through the other stuff to get the corn.

The soybeans or deer feed just pile up under the feeder.