Dumor: Did I get the right feed?

[sphillips]

I start my chicks with probiotics and electrolytes in their water for the first day, and then switch to plain water with ACV in it. I put 1 tsp per quart in their water daily. I have been feeding Dumor chick starter with all my chicks with no problem.

 

[AmpersatChick]

Thanks guys! I'm glad to get such good response, feeling green for sure but very excited!

 

[allieszoo]

I have been feeding my chicks the Dumor non-medicated chick starter since day 1 and they are happy and healthy now. I also skipped the probiotics and electrolites and just do the ACV in the water -- I did/do give them yogurt as a treat for the probiotics and when they were a few weeks old started giving them cooked eggs, various fruits and veggies and now that they are a month old they spend the day in the yard so they get whatever they find there. Been very lucky and no issues with health or any problems when we first got them.

Edit - oh forgot to add that I have been OCD about keeping their bedding and areas clean and such since day one as well and really agree with what chickensRdinos said about that being important as well.

 

[schnebbles]

I just got a bag of that dumor starter/grower too. My question was can I use it up til it's gone? or do I need to stop them at around 12 weeks and switch to regular feed.

Can they have treats like yogurt, oatmeal at young ages? one is only 1 week and the others are 3 weeks. Trying to get some good treats for them if they are old enough.

 

[Fred's Hens]

I just got a bag of that dumor starter/grower too. My question was can I use it up til it's gone? or do I need to stop them at around 12 weeks and switch to regular feed.

Can they have treats like yogurt, oatmeal at young ages? one is only 1 week and the others are 3 weeks. Trying to get some good treats for them if they are old enough.

All birds can eat DuMor Starter-Grower, especially if it is not medicated with amprollium. There's no need to change. There is no "regular" feed. There are three things to note with chicken feed, regardless of the marketing name attached to it.

1. Does it have amprollium medication? This is only common in some chick Starter
2. Layer Feed. The only thing that makes it Layer is the high calcium content ground into the feed for convenience. Layer shouldn't be fed to non laying birds.
3. Protein level. Feed varies wildly on protein level, from a low of 15% to 30% for certain Gamebird feeds. Chicks need around 20% while most "Grower" feeds and most Layer feeds often contain less.

Some feed companies cut through all the confusion and make a single feed for everyone called All Flock or Flock Raiser. Simple. Everyone gets the same feed. Life is less confusing.

Not to confuse matters, but feed comes in many textures or shapes. Mash, Crumbles, Pellets and variations thereof. The shape has nothing to do with the content of the actual feed. Hope that helps.

 

[allieszoo]

I just got a bag of that dumor starter/grower too. My question was can I use it up til it's gone? or do I need to stop them at around 12 weeks and switch to regular feed.

Can they have treats like yogurt, oatmeal at young ages? one is only 1 week and the others are 3 weeks. Trying to get some good treats for them if they are old enough.

I started giving mine treats like yogurt and cooked egg around 2 weeks. I think the 1 week old could have egg or yogurt but not 100% positive so maybe someone can clarify.

 

[schnebbles]

thanks a lot! I got yogurt, oatmeal, raisins, mothers vinegar all for them today.

Only one is tiny so the others can have treats sounds like, I will let baby have a little yogurt. I forgot egg!

 

[ChickensRDinos]

If you are going to give them solid-food treats while in the brooder make sure to put a little bowl of grit in there. But other feel free to give them stuff.

 

[SobbaChickens]

Good info in this post, thanks everyone!

The sales lady gave me medicated food when I bought my supplies, she just handed a small bag to me and didn't say anything else. When I left the store with my new babies I kinda sat there and thought "Well that was stupid"

But I also had not planned on getting chicks when I stopped at the store so I went in completely unprepared.

Is there a price difference between medicated and non-medicated food? I'm seeing a lot of people talk about TSC (or TCS lol) but we don't have one of those, just our local farm store. They have been on the medicated chick starter for 2 weeks now and we still have a bit left. I just moved them into a bigger brooder with a raised feeder so I'm hoping they won't waste so much. The past few days they were getting so much bedding into their old feeder, and pooping in it, that I was dumping a ton of feed every day. Such wasteful birdies.

Also what is up with "mother" apple cider vinegar? Can I not use normal apple cider vinegar in their water?


-Katie

 

[ChickensRDinos]

Regular apple cider vinegar does not have the same health benefits. It won't hurt them but there is really no point in wasting your time or money because it won't do much. Maybe keep algae out of there water but that's it. What has the health benefit are the active cultures that are found in the raw product that has "the mother." Brags is a really common brand. If it is hard to find where you are you can make your own from the raw ACV once you have one bottle so you don't have to search for it again. Just google making apple cider vinegar. It is basically the same as making kombucha if you have ever done that.

A standard medicated vs non medicated feed should be about the same price. What changes the price are the organic, non GMO or non corn, non soy feeds. Those generally will offer a non-medicated starter but will cost more.