??? Pro and con medicated start/grow vs med game starter ?mix them?

[TrixiePA]

Okay I folded to peer pressure. Someone that I trust to know about chickens, suggested that instead of running back to change out the accidentally purchased Purina Game Medicated Starter 50 lb bag, just mix it with the Purina Medicated Start/Grow (Chick) 50 lb bag.

I did it. I've been feeding them about 60/40 mix with DE for about 2 weeks and I haven't seen any downside. They also get yougurt/mashed/egg/oat mash treat every other day and ACV in their water every other day. Once or twice a week I toss in some Vetrx into the water. They get fresh water 3-4 times aday. They get fresh lettuce (frozen in the heat), marigold heads and some scratch when I need to distract them....

But if it were such a great thing then I think everyone would do it and I'm not seeing that on this board....

Help Give it to me straight!

 

[TrixiePA]

bumping myself

 

[GrannySue]

I bought some chick started just before ducklings were due to hatch because I'd heard it was just as good as game starter. They hatched, they ate the chick starter and then I read that medicated chick starter was death to ducks

Dashed back to the feed store, asked if I had bought medicated starter and the clerk assured me that they don't stock any medicated feed. It has to be specially ordered, so the stuff I bought was fine.
This particular store only carries vegetable feed for any type of poultry i.e. no rendered fat or animal parts. Their choice, since most of us have free range chickens, or at least free run.

 

[LilRalphieRoosmama]

I didn't think that gamebird starter was medicated.

 

[TrixiePA]

The game food is Purina Game Bird Startena BMD 50 medicated with Bacitracin Methylen Disalicylate and 30 %protein.

The chick food is Purina Start & Grow Sunfresh MP .0125% medicated with Amporlium and 18% protein

 

[TrixiePA]

bump

 

[TrixiePA]

bumping myself again

 

[speckledhen]

If you were mixing the two different starters half and half, you'd be giving them about 24% protein, probably the maximum I'd give chicks. Game birds need the higher protein of the game bird starter. They'll be fine with it mixed that way. You can get the unmedicated game bird starter as well. I'm feeding my own current chicks their Game Bird Flight Conditioner, which is a grower feed, at 20% protein and has animal protein that the regular chick starter does not (I prefer it to have animal protein), though they did begin with medicated chick starter the first four weeks.

 

[TrixiePA]

Quote:
Thank you. That was the exact advise I was looking for. Do you think there is any benefit for the chicks to get the bacitracim? Is that a sulfa a/b ? Would that nip any cocci in the butt or won't that work on it... not that I've seen any indication of cocci just curious.

Also do you think I should wean them off when I buy the next chick feed?

Thank you

 

[speckledhen]

If you have enough oocycsts in your soil to overwhelm their systems, no medicated feed will entirely prevent cocci. I'm to the point that I dont seek out medicated feed at all, but treat with Corid (concentrated Amprolium) when and if I have a cocci issue with a new batch of chicks. I'd rather see only Amprolium in the feed but sometimes, I have no choice and one of the feeds I have been using for chicks has bacitracin or erythopabate (sp?), which are used as coccidiostats. It's cheaper than the Purina feeds by several dollars, but excellent quality feed, and my chicks seem to do well on it.