feed

[HidingInTheHenHouse]

I can get turkey starter, but it has amprolium in it. Is this okay, or a no-no?

 

[ken429h]

Quote:
Amprolium is a (thiamine (vitamin B1)complex) usually added to turkey starter. The best answer should come from people that feed turkey starter, but my knee-jerk reaction is....it's probably not a no-no.

Nothing wrong with B1.

Ken

 

[likes2grill]

Quote:
The feed store I buy all my feed from said this was the best to feed as a starter feed. Should I question my trust in the feed store now?

 

[JJMR794]

Quote:
OMG! THOSE PRICES SOUND LIKE SOMEONE HAS FALLEN AND BUMPED THEIR HEAD! I FEED PURINA GAME BIRD STARTER (27%) AND PAY RIGHT AT 14 FOR A 50LB BAG AND THATS WITH TAX. THE BIRDS DO VERY WELL ON IT--- THEY LOOK GREAT, RETAIN WEIGHT, COROLFUL HEALTHY FEATHERING AND SO FAR IT'S HELPED THEM TO YIELD THE HIGHEST EGG PRODUCTION OF ALL I HAVE TRIED. I THROW SOME SCRATCH GRAINS IN ABOUT 3 TIMES A WEEK FOR THE FULL GROWN BIRDS AS THEY LOVE THE ACTUAL GRAINS...

 

[JJMR794]

Quote:
The feed store I buy all my feed from said this was the best to feed as a starter feed. Should I question my trust in the feed store now?

FEED STORES MAY LACK THE EXPERIENCE IN EVERY SINGLE ANIMAL THEY SERVE... AS A GENERAL RULE TO ONE UNEDUCATED WITH 1ST HAND EXPERIENCE YOU WOULD THINK "STARTER" MEANS TO START THEM ON AND THEN DROP THEM BACK TO A REGULAR GAMEBIRD FEED AT A SLIGHTLY LOWER PRICE EVENTUALLY. AND THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT THESE FEEDS WERE DESIGNED FOR SOME 50 ODD YRS AGO WHEN THESE COMMERCIAL STARTER FEEDS BEGAN TO BECOME COMMON. I KNOW FOLKS WHO FEED THEIR QUAIL REGULAR HEN(CHICKEN) LAYER CRUMBLES AND HAVE GOOD RESULTS. ULTIMATELY YOU FIND WHAT WORKS BEST FOR YOU, AND THAT MAY BE WAY DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WORKS FOR ME. THERE HAS ALWAYS BEEN 2 GREAT DEBATES SURROUNDING FEED ON THIS THREAD---1. MEDICATED VS NON MEDICATED--- THE MEDICATION IS A BROADSPECTRUM ANTIBIOTIC WHICH ALLEGEDLY BOOST THE BABIES IMMUNE SYSTEM AND PREVENTS BACTERIAL GROWTH (THEREBY STOPPING INFECTION FROM WORSENING UNTIL THE BOOSTED IMMUNE SYSTEM CAN KICK IN AND FIGHT IT OFF) NOW DOES IT "TEAR THEIR INSIDES UP" --- NO ABSOLUTELY NOT, IT CAN CAUSE DIARRHEA AND DEHYDRATION FROM DIARRHEA WHEN NOT USED PROPERLY. WHAT IT DOES DO, IS KILL OFF ANY AND ALL BACTERIA THAT ARE SUSCEPTIBLE TO THE DRUG. SO IT ALSO KILLS THE NORMAL OR GOOD BACTERIA THAT ARE COLONIZED IN THE BABIES DIGESTIVE SYSTEM. THE BACTERIA THAT THEIR DIGESTIVE SYSTEM DEPENDS ON TO HELP IN THE FUNCTIONS OF EASING THE ABSORPTION OR NUTRITION AND FLUIDS, AND SOLIDIFYING OF STOOL. NOW TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION AND START YOUR BIRDS ON MEDICATED FEED AND ADD REGULAR PROBIOTICS TO WHAT THEY CONSUME (COMMERCIAL PROBIOTICS OR YOGURT/ COTTAGE CHEESE-- THE PROBIOTIC IS BASICALLY A DOSE OF THE GOOD BACTERIA THAT IS OR HAS BEEN KILLED OFF BY THE MEDICATION) AND IT IS BENEFICIAL TO THEM BECAUSE THEY ARE GETTING AN IMMUNITY BOOST WITHOUT THE SIDE EFFECTS THAT ARE HARMFUL. (LADIES THIS IS BASICALLY THE SAME THING THAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU TAKE ANTIBIOTICS AND END UP WITH A FEMALE YEAST INFECTION...)

#2. QUITE SIMPLY PUT, IS THE GREAT PROTIEN DEBATE--- YOU'LL SEE FOLKS WHO FEED ANYTHING FROM PLAIN CRACKED CORN ALL THE UP TO FOLKS THAT SWEAR BY FRESHLY GROUND ZEBRAS (YES I MEAN THE WILD AFRICAN STRIPED DONKEYS) AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN.

HERES THE BASIC SAFE RECOMMENDATION-- GO WITH A GOOD GAMEBIRD STARTER UNTIL THEY MATURE AND THEN YOU CAN PLAY MAD SCIENTIST WITH THEIR DIET UNTIL YOU FIND WHAT WORKS BEST FOR YOU AND YOUR BIRDS AND YOUR GOALS FOR YOUR BIRDS... THERE IS NO ABSOLUTE ANSWER. HERE UNFORTUNATELY--- THERE'S JUST WAY TOO MANY VARIABLES INVOLVED FOR EACH PERSON.

 

[Kullas]

I just found a place that will sell me 50lbs 24% game bird starter for $10.99

 

[ken429h]

FOOD FIGHT!!!

I was just going to say that I feed 40% platypus chow pellets, that I hand grind in a small pepper mill. This reminds me of the "GREAT LITTER DEBATE".

JMR is spot on.

All kidding aside, I do find it interesting reading about the different stuff and lengths people go to in order to feed their animals. It makes me feel...lazy. I also learn a thing or two.

Think of this as "Lazy Ken's" guide to raising quail.

#1. I do not reformat food of any kind. This means cooking, slicing, grinding, or smashing with a ball pein hammer. I just don't do it.
I feed Purina Mills game bird starter 30% protein, from hatch till death. Natural, or man made. 30% is over kill, but anything 18-30% is fine. I have never had a bird die over a few percentage points of protein. EVER!!!!

#2. Clean water.

#4. Adequate pen space.

#5. A dust box with sand is nice!

That's about it, I think....Did I miss anything?

Ken

 

[Kullas]

Quote:
sounds good to me

 

[macnugget]

The feed in question is ok it will keep them from getting cocci. Ifm it is present in the soil which is not a problem when you have them in cages. But there is no withdrawl time therefore it is fine to feed your quail