Is Medicated Starter Feed Being Discontinued from Being Sold Through Feed Stores?

[brucifer]

Hi everyone. I was at my local TSC last night to pick up a 25 lb sack of Purina Start & Grow Medicated, and I noticed that they only had two sacks left instead of the usual partial pallet. Then I looked on the shelf where they sell the premium brands, and they didn't have any medicated starter feeds there at all. I thought this was rather peculiar since many folks are already getting chicks from breeders, and the chick-rearing season is about to get into high gear. I asked the TSC manager about this, and he told me that TSC is selling off their current stock of medicated starter feeds, that they wouldn't be getting any more, and that veterinarians would be carrying medicated feeds in the future. ???

I don't know if the above information is true or not, or if it is a policy pertaining only to the state of Georgia, so I was hoping that someone here with more knowledge would chime in. Has anyone else heard of this?

I definitely won't be buying medicated starter at a vet since the cost of a 25 lb sack will probably jump from $10 to $25 just because a vet is selling it. Thanks for reading.

 

[Beekissed]

In a backyard setting, they are entirely unnecessary and there are other ways that prove more effective, and with less long term ramifications than using a coccidiostat, to keep chickens healthy. I've never fed such a thing to a chicken and chickens were raised for thousands of years just fine without the use of them...it's just the commercial use of them, where animals are crowded into unhealthy living conditions that has necessitated the need for such things in the first place.

I say good riddance. People will have to just start stepping up their game on flock management.

 

[lazy gardener]

What she said. Cocci are found in every chicken gut and are normal flora. People are scared to death because advertising has made it so. Give them access to natural soil from your yard (full of beneficial bacteria and fungi), just as Mama Hen would do, and give them a good dose of probiotics to jump start the good guy flora in their intestines ( you can buy probiotic packet to go in their water, or you can provide even more health benefit by giving them fermented feed.) A baby chick is hatched with about a 2 week window where she has natural immunity received from her mother, much the same way a human baby has natural immunity at birth.

 

[Folly's place]

I visited the local Tsc in Williamston, Michigan yesterday, and they have Purina medicated chick starter available. It's true that everyone doesn't need to feed amprolium to their chicks, but some do need it to prevent sickness and chick deaths. My farm (high, dry, sandy) has been fine without, but I'd never make a blanket statement that the same is true for everyone. Mary

 

[Folly's place]

Some folks have serious coccidia issues on their property, and really need the amprolium medicated chick starter. I'd tell TSC that you will take your business elsewhere, and do it. That's stupid of them to DQ that feed! Call corporate HQ and complain too. Mary

 

[aart]

Ditto the not needing 'medicated' starter.
I bought a pack of Corid to have on hand 'just in case'.
4 years, and a half dozen or so batches of chicks, later it's still unopened as I never needed it.

 

[brucifer]

I understand that some folks don't like to feed a medicated starter to their chicks, especially if their chicks have been vaccinated, and I'm fine with that. However, some people like to feed a medicated starter, including myself. There are so many products out there when it comes to feed; we each just need to weight the options that are available to us, consider the needs of our flock and chicks, and make the choices in which we each feel comfortable. Also, my immediate neighbors raise cows, goats and turkeys, and I've actually found their cattle sleeping in my front yard and on other occasions leaving their calling cards. I also visit a lot of farms. Anyway, I could track the protozoa that causes coccidiosis back to my farm, so for me it makes sense to give my chicks some added preventative treatment for a few weeks when they're starting out in life. However, all this is beside the point.

My issue is with TSC discontinuing to carry my preferred chick starter because it has the word "medicated" printed on the sack. I love TSC, so I'm not going to boycott the store, but I am disappointed with their marketing decision. In the future, I'll probably switch to a non-medicated starter and add Corid to the water in my brooders.

I appreciate everyone's input.

~ brucifer

 

[brucifer]

Hi, just trying to clear up this misinformation. Medicated chick feeder is not affected by the FDA's (not TSC's) changes to requirements.Your Purina medicated feed is still available in every store. If you want correct info on VFD changes and the kinds of items affected (water soluble antibiotics), you can check out www.TractorSupply.com/VFD

Hey clover,

Please feel free to contact the TSC located in Carrollton, Carroll County, GA, and/or the TSC located in the next county over (Douglas) in Douglasville, GA. My starter feed of choice, Purina Premium Start & Grow Medicated Poultry Feed has been pulled from the shelves. The Carrollton store actually sold their remaining stock and will not be re-ordering. The Douglasville store sent their stock of medicated feeds (including my brand of choice) back to the respective manufacturers. I inquired directly from the Carrollton store, and my wife inquired directly at the Douglasville store. Please report back if they tell you any different. Curious minds would love to know.

BTW, I'm not disputing that medicated chick starter may or may not be technically affected by the FDA's new regulation; however, the two TSC stores that I have checked are treating the medicated feed as if it is covered by the new regulation. The bottom line is that I can no longer purchase ANY medicated chick starter from either of those stores as per my conversation with the manager at the Carrollton store.

BTW2, I want the government to keep its furry tail out of my hen house, and that includes uninvited veterinarian middlemen. I'm VERY cynical when it comes to manygovernment regulations.

 

[byclover2]

Some folks have serious coccidia issues on their property, and really need the amprolium medicated chick starter. I'd tell TSC that you will take your business elsewhere, and do it. That's stupid of them to DQ that feed! Call corporate HQ and complain too. Mary

Medicated chick feed is not discontinued. It is likely just out of stock/sold thru in that particular store and the manager gave wrong info.

The FDA's (not TSC's) changes only affected water-soluble antibiotics, and anything affected has already been replaced with other similar products.

I hope that helps clear up any misinformation!

 

[brucifer]

Kudos to byclover2. He got the managers/staff at the two TSC stores in my area squared away with regard to carrying medicated starter. Both stores carry Purina Medicated Chick Starter now, and the Carrollton, GA store even displays it.

On another matter, it was like a zoo at the Douglasville, GA TSC today. I picked up a couple of 100' rolls of 4 x 2 welded wire that were on sale, and there were lots of customers at that location, but TSC was conducting inventory with the help of an outside team. This was in the middle of the early afternoon on a Saturday. People were tripping over themselves trying to get through aisles blocked by the inventory team. When I worked retail, we always checked inventory and stocked shelves during closing hours. Anyway, it was really crazy over there today.

On a positive note, they had a great selection of chicks and ducklings available. The quality was excellent.