Is it ok to stop the chick starter feed a week early

eggcited2

Crowing
13 Years
Jul 8, 2010
493
40
266
Illinois
On Monday (Aug. 2) my chicks will be 7 weeks old. I have enough starter to get me to then. I already have a bag of Flock Raiser. Hubby is upset at paying $5-$6 dollars for a five pound bag of medicated chick starter. (when an entire 50 pound bag of Flock Raiser is only $12)

The stater I feed says to feed it for the first 8 weeks. Would it be ok to stop it at only 7 weeks or should I go ahead and feed them the extra week of the medicated starter?
 
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As far as I'm concerned, it would be okay to make the transition to FlockRaiser when you run out of your original chick starter. I've done it both ways; had more chick starter than I needed so finished it before starting the grower/finisher feed. And I've started the grower/finisher early when the chick starter didn't last the full 8 weeks (but I had a group of chicks of different ages then, some were 11 weeks old, a couple were 10 wks old and some were 7 weeks old - those were the ones that started the next level of food early).
 
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I have been using medicated starter. They only sell it in 5 lb bags where we live. We have three farm and home stores in town and another one about five miles away. None of them sell any larger than 5 lb at their stores. And the last two bags we got, had some clumps of food instead of all loose crumbles. The crumbles must have gotten damp or something. I checked the clumps and there was no mold or such. The contents of the bags also didn't smell of mold, besides the visual check of the feed.
 
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Neither do we. We follow organic protocol.

It is my personal opinion it is a waste of money for the back yard flock owner. Antibiotics for a small back yard flock? It is my opinion medicated feed is designed for large poultry houses that have 10,000 birds all packed into a tight space, the birds are in highly stressed conditions, they will get sick without the high doses of antibiotics.

I would assume most back yard flocks are pampered and babied, with clean healthful living conditions. NOT like the big poultry houses!

As far as Coccidiostats, my chicks are introduced to a little bit of clean organic soil at week one while still in the brooder. Gradually increasing their expose to earth.

Just like nature intended it..
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ON
 
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I agree. Make the switch. Most of the places I've seen recommend that you make the switch at 6 weeks, not 8. Most chicks have fully feathered out at 4 to 5 weeks so they don't need the extra protein past that stage.
 
Watch for Cocci....drop in appetite and dropped wing... the cold peeping sound... That is a sign of Cocci... The medicated feed contains Amproline that prevents an overload.... w/o it you can have a buildup in thier system that can be fatal... Watch for any sign and then treat with Sulmet and Tetracycline... Even the cleanest coops have bacterial flora... It can be brought in by other animals... birds, mice etc.
 

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