Blue Seal - Starter vs Grower Cal?

[verlaj]

I have quite a few young birds - age 11-13 weeks. Presently I am feeding them Blue Seal Starter (with Amprolium). I switched from Purina Starter/Grower because I thought the chicks needed more protein (Purina, 18% vs Blue Seal, 20%) and because I had read so many positive things about Blue Seal feeds here.

The guidelines from Blue Seal are to feed their starter until 6 wks of age, then switch to Grower Cal until they start laying. The Grower Cal is 15% protein.

Does anybody have experience with the Blue Seal Grower Cal? Should I feed this now or switch back to Purina? I'm wondering about the difference in the protein level and whether I should go as low as 15% now. The youngsters get the starter feed and are free in the garden all day to eat bugs and plants, then get about a handful of scratch in the evening so they learn to worship me!

I have to have the feed store that carries this feed order the Grower Cal if I want it - please let me know if I should.

By the way, the birds prefer the Blue Seal (crumbles) over the Purina. I tested this by filling one feeder with Blue Seal and the other with Purina. The Blue Seal was gone when there was still 2/3 of the Purina left. Then I did the same thing, but switched feeders in case it was simply that they preferred one feeder over the other - same result; Blue Seal went first. I was a little surprised - to me, the Purina smells better, but apparently that is not what chickens go for.

Almost forgot - I suppose the other alternative is to keep them on the Blue Seal Starter until they start laying. Also, the Grower Cal does not have amprolium in it.

Thanks!

 

[verlaj]

Anybody?

 

[One Acre Wonder Farm]

Really the only feed I've ever bought is Blue Seal, so nothing to contrast it with, but my chickens gobble it up and seem to be extremely healthy. I think (can't be sure until I double check w/feedstore) that grower is less expensive than starter, which is a plus in my book. I feed the grower to my ducklings (started at about 3 weeks, will feed until teenage chicks are old enough for layer and then will switch them) and chicks (from 8 weeks till I start getting eggs, then will switch to layer). My adult chickens love to raid the duckling enclosure while the ducklings are out ranging and gobble it up too!!

 

[verlaj]

Thanks for the endorsement - I will have the only dealer in the area order a couple of bags of Grower Cal for me.

 

[edb]

I went to game bird starter, it has 28% protein, it seems to make a huge difference. Purina makes a great one and it available with or without meds.

 

[kuntrychick]

Man, I wish I could get Blue Seal here. I did their Dealer Locator and can't find it even within 100 miles of me.

 

[PurpleChicken]

I started out with Blue Seal feeds. My chicks would get the non-medicated starter, then the grower cal, and then layer. Never had a problem.

Eventually I switched to Nutrena non-medicated gamebird 22% for all my chicks, quail, ducks, and turkeys. Then they went on layer or broiler when they were integrated into my laying or meat flocks.

 

[verlaj]

So, PurpleChicken and edb, you both keep your birds on the high protein feed until they are switched to layer feed? I just want to be sure I'm reading you right.

 

[PurpleChicken]

Yup, high protein until close to laying age. I'm not sure if it's made a difference or not. My layers were always healthy and gave me lots of eggs and my broilers always exceeded expectations. I raised a lot of fryer roos and got to the point with them that I'd feed them a mix of anything and everything. My last batch of fryers went through 100 pounds of rabbit food I had sitting around and didn't want to waste.

 

[edb]

"So, PurpleChicken and edb, you both keep your birds on the high protein feed until they are switched to layer feed? I just want to be sure I'm reading you right."

I've never had chickens of my own til a several months ago so I'm learning too. Growing up we had a few chickens but my brothers cared for them. I fed regular 20% chic feed until a friend gave me the 28% game bird starter. It made them grow much faster. I'll use it for all my chicks from now on. We learn as we go and I've got a lot from this forum.​