Feeding Flock Raiser to chicks?

[BarredBuff]

Our TSC doesnt carry non medicated it was poorly stocked but they are getting better.

 

[Turner]

Flock Raiser is not medicated and what you want to feed if your chicks were vaccinated for Cocci.

 

[CountryMom]

Quote:
Same here. Once my starter was gone, they started getting flock raiser. BTW I've searched our medicated feed here, and it is only medicated with amprolium for cocci. No antibiotics are in it.

I switched my hens to flock raiser when 2 of them started molting, for more protein. I've noticed that a lot less of it gets wasted, then the poultry feed. (they bill it out to get to the corn pieces) So I'm going to keep them on the flock raiser.

I agree, my hens are not digging it out of the feeder as much and wasting it. I think their feathers look better....and when they finally did molt in December, it seemed to go quickly.

I am not a fan of the Dumor feed after trying it about a year ago. I tried the layena type and a game bird for when I had bobwhites. All the birds looked mess is the best I can describe. Feathers not as nice really. They didn't eat as much of it and were beggin for treats a lot more. My gamebirds basically looked horrible and stopped laying. So I will stick with Purina.

 

[Bullwinkle]

Our local TSC carries both Purina Layena and Dumor brands.

I was told by a couple of the workers there when they started carrrying the Layena that both products are packaged in the same plant. They were told it was the same product/ingredients. I'm not sure if this is accurate so I started buying whichever was cheaper at the time.

I am considering moving to Flock Raiser and just providing extra calcium in a separate feeder. I found it irritating that Layena (and maybe Dumor if the staff at TSC are correct) only contains non-animal protein. My chickens love 'animal' protein when they can get it (nothing like a good tasty mouse.... ummmm good to the last drop!)

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
Don't you mean good to the last squeak?


Sorry, being up all night does weird things to my brain.

 

[Bullwinkle]

Lol... yes the last squeak!

I live in an area where lots of crops are grown, so it seems that in the winter the mice all head for warmer housing (my coop).

I've learned not to tell the folks I work with (who buy most of my eggs) about the eating habits of chickens!

 

[CountryMom]

Quote:
I was told that years ago by an employee also on their horse feed. All I can say is that they maybe packaged or even milled at the same place, but the quality was WAY different even then in their horse feed. If they seriously are then why is TSC still carrying the DUMOR brand when they just picked up Purina and Nutrena?

 

[KathyK]

Is the 18% protein level in start & grow enough for babies? Would the 20% in flock raiser be better for baby chicks? It's not chick specific feed like the start and grow. They both are not medicated, right?

 

[Bluemoon420]

They have a non medicated and medicated flockraiser. It depends on where you live for the medicated flockraiser. It's not available where I am.

I have, and am feeding non medicated flockraiser right now. They have always done fine on it, and I've never had a sick chick.

I've been using flockraiser since last summer for all my chickens, and found it much easier, healthier, and cheaper to feed them all one feed. The girls who are laying have free choice oyster shell available for them.

Bluemoon

 

[delawarechickmom]

As a soon to be new chicken mom, TSC is the only place in my area that sells different varieties of chicken foods. I am a manager at a local, family-owned, pet supply no animals for sale) and can tell you anything about cat, dog, small animal, reptile and cage-bird nutrition, but I have found myself out of my league with the whole chicken nutrition thing. My local TSC also sells a brand called Manna Pro for the chicks. Does anyone have any experience with this brand, also, does anyone have an opinion on chickens being fed "organic" foods. My cats and dogs do not eat organic, and neither do I, but is there a benefit to feed the chickens organic? I understand the organic vs. natural nutrition comparison, but once the babies are on "adult" feed, is the food still medicated or is that only a concern with the babies? Lastly, I have been reading a lot about verm X dewormer. Is it necessary to deworm chickens regularly, and if so, is a "natural" dewormer okay? Thanks for all your help everyone.