Protein level for chicks? And Purina Start N Grow Question.....

[imthedude]

One of my local feed stores sells some mash chick starter that is 21% protein. The other feed store sells mostly medicated chick starter. The only non-medicated one they sell is the Purina Start n Grow (I believe it's the vegetarian feed from Purina).

Two questions:

1. Is 21% protein too high for chicks so that it will cause them to develop too quickly? That seems more like a meat bird feed.

2. Is the Start n Grow a good feed? I didn't use it on any of the chicks I started last year, but instead used some other medicated starter. I want to stay away from the antibiotics this year, and the start n grow is the only option that I've found. I've had the batch of almost-4-week-olds on it for a couple of weeks now, and they seem to be doing fine. The 1-week olds have been on it since Friday when I brought them home. They all seem to be doing fine, so maybe I'm wondering for no reason.

 

[scbatz33]

Actually, most starter only feeds are closer to the 24% range. Since that is a start and grow it will be lower. I've seen them range from 20% down to 16%. Personally I like the higher protein. I think the chicks develop better, feather out nicer and I have not had trouble with feather plucking or ratty looking birds during molt. But then I have orps and they are a larger bird.

 

[Cloverleaf Farm]

I have always used the medicated start and grow, but last year I switched to nonmedicated for a group of birds to see if there was a difference, and lost two (including my favorite LF cockerel last year) to coccidiosis. I will never use unmedicated again.

 

[scbatz33]

Quote:
<y first year all I fed was non-medicated. The two springs ago I had a problem, lost a lot of babies before I knew what had happened. I'm a die hard believer in medicated starter!

 

[big medicine]

Also a believer in medicated chick starter.

Not a fan of plant protein based chicken feeds. Much more prone to feather picking.

I preffer an animal protein based medicated chick starter in 20- 25 % for large breed chicks.

 

[Fred's Hens]

I am not a believer in vegetarian feeds, but it seems to be a selling point for Purina. Likely causes people to think it is less likely to pass diseases known in the pig/beef world to be passed on. A chicken is omni, of course. I wish they'd offer more real meat protein.

I also like to feed the medicated for at least 5 weeks. It seems more a preventative medicine and I prefer to give my chicks every chance. I've raised 50 past year, without mortality.

There are studies that seem to indicate that pushing 24% protein feed, for pullets anyhow, hastens early development and the jury is still out as to whether that is entirely a good thing. FWIW, I find feather pecking more a result of over crowding. As long as it is 16-20 % protein, they'll do just fine on starter.

 

[big medicine]

Yeah, after I posted that I was trying to remember if I ever feed higher than 22%. I had to use turkey starter for about a week once because that was all I could get going into a weekend, not sure on its protein %.

On the feather picking, very noticable change under similiar conditions after switching feeds. I'll not soon go back.

 

[imthedude]

Thanks for the responses everyone.