Purina diet?

[Suess hens]

When do you switch, if at all, from Start and Grow to flock raiser?

 

[nccountrygirl]

People usually switch them at 18 to 20 weeks to Layer pellets. It has all the stuff in it to keep them laying good, it also has the calcium they need for strong shells. Flock Raiser has more protein in it 20% versus 16% for Purina Layena BUT you will have to give them Oyster shell with the FR.

 

[Hiedi]

I am in the same situation right now. I was planning on keeping my pullets on the Purina Mills (Start & Grow) until 18 weeks because that is what the label says to do, then switch to the Layena. However, all I can find in my area is the "medicated" Purina Mills Start & Grow. I have read that they should not stay on medicated feed for that long. I called the company to ask, and they said it was OK to keep them on medicated, but (of course) they are going to say that. She also told me that most places do not carry the unmedicated kind. My pullets are nine weeks old. Maybe I should just switch to a different brand, but I really hate to do that.

Just a rant: I called all the places that carry Purina Mills in my area. Two of them said that they had the "unmedicated" Purina Mills (Start & Grow); but when I drove there, they did not have it. Do these people not care that the price of gas is getting outrageous? That is why I called on the phone in the first place! Then someone else tried to pull the same stuff on me AGAIN, and I told him how people were just saying that they have it on the phone when they really did NOT have any. He then had his assistant check, and (as expected) he did not have any either. What is wrong with these people?

 

[Tuffoldhen]

My chicks have always been raised on the medicated starter/grower til point of lay...no problems...

 

[Hiedi]

Quote:
OK, thanks for the information. That may be what I will end up doing. I was going by the information in my book, Chickens in Your Backyard: A Beginner's Guide:

"It [medicated feed] may be discontinued with relative safety after about eight weeks, as by then the chicks are building up a natural immunity. Continued use of the medicated feed after 12 weeks is definitely not advisable, since it may interfere with the development of this natural immunity."

 

[Stephen in SoKY]

When I used Purina, I switched from S&G to FR at around 6-8 weeks. Being devoid of extra calcium, there's no reason I'm aware of it would be bad to switch earlier than 18 weeks. In my case, my chicks grew far better with the extra protein. I certainly wish Purina still had decent coupons, everything in my barn (125+) would be on Flockraiser full time. I loved that feed!

 

[Grindlefamily]

Won't the store order the non medicated in? I asked my store to get the nonmedicated (on the buy 1 get 1 free weekend) and they ordered it in and gave it to me for that price

Louella

 

[Hiedi]

Quote:
That is a good idea, I should have asked one of the stores awhile back if they could order me some unmedicated Start & Grow. However, right now, I am getting low on feed so I decided to switch to Purina Mills Flock Raiser. I found a local farm supply store that carries it and the Layena as well. I plan to mix the remaining Start & Grow that I have with the Flock Raiser (half/half). Hopefully, my pullets will do OK with the change in feed.

Thanks for all the great advice everyone.

 

[Hiedi]

I thought my problems were solved about the feed until I just opened the bag of Purina Mills (flock raiser), and it has bugs in it.