Purina Start and Grow Questions

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

i finally found a feed store that carries the Purina poultry food. They were out of the Layena for my two older girls, but i bought a big bag of the Start and Grow for my kids.

First question, i noticed when i got home that the label says it's medicated. My kids were on a chick starter first couple months that was medicated. They have been on a grower mash that is not medicated for the past two months. Will it be a problem switching them back to a feed that is medicated?

Next question, my understanding is that they should go onto the Layena when they begin laying, and the Purina site states this as 18 weeks. So do i just switch over when they are 18 weeks, or do i wait till i see an egg? They are silkies, so my understanding is they may not start laying till they are at least 6 months old.

Thanks for any advice anyone might offer!

 

[MissPrissy]

I don't use medicated feeds. I think the birds are better served developing a natural immune system.

I prefer to wait until they are actually laying to start them on the laying feed. Until they are laying they donot need the extra calcium in the feed. Some pullets do start laying around week 18 but many (read through some of the posts here) are not getting eggs until closer to week 30 or even later. It just depends on the breed. My RIR's began laying at week 19. The BO's followed at week 24. I am still waiting on all of the others.

Good luck with your pullets.

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

Thanks for your input. i think you are right about the medication. i don't know if Purina makes a Start and Grow without the medication.

i doubt any of my silkies are close to laying. They are coming up on 17 and 18 weeks, but still seem like kids. i do have one teeny mix of mainly japanese and mille fleur who is only 16 weeks, but her comb and wattles are bright red. i wonder if i should set up a nest box for her. Can not imagine how small those eggs are going to be.

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

Well, i got the bright idea of calling a Purina distributor and asked about the medication. They said the Start and Grow crumbles are medicated and the mash is not.

 

[ScapeChicken]

FYI

Purina Mills Livestock & Poultry Diets

Start & Grow Crumbles
An 18% protein ration perfect for raising laying chicks from hatch to laying age (18-10 weeks). Contains quality nutrients necessary to produce strong, healthy beautifully colored birds. Provides wholesome nutrition and is certified natural. Contains essential amino acids and Vitamins A & E. Protein 18% Protein, 3% Fat, 5% Fiber.
Product # Description
PM6042 Start & Grow Crumbles 50 lbs.
PM6043 Start & Grow Medicated Crumbles 50 lbs. MP

http://www.pharmaserv.net/feed_livestock.asp

 

[3peeps]

I believe I started with non-medicated Purina Start and Grow. I'll go look on the bag, but that's what I asked for at the feed mill...if I don't post back here, they make a non-medicated version.

I just made sure the brooder was kept extra clean and that the water was changed very frequently. I agree that they should be able to develop immune systems naturally.

Edited: Oops...didn't read above post, first! Sorry.

 

[allen wranch]

I always use the medicated start & grow (with amprolium, not bacitracin) as do many others. The low dose of amprolium helps the chicks get through the weeks when they are most venerable to cocci. During this time they are also building a natural immunity. Coccidiosis can be deadly to chicks, and it is easier to provide some prevention than to try and treat it after it develops.

 

[LoneCowboy]

I believe the Purina is not really medicated like the others, it's just a preventitive. But yes, they do make a non medicated version. But I can't find anybody who carrys it. Everybody here carrys the medicated stuff. You can get the meat bird feed that is similar, and it generally is not medicated, and purina says you can feed that to your layer chicks.

I was going to switch my girls out at 18 weeks, and one layed her first egg at 18 weeks, so I guess it worked out ok.

 

[allen wranch]

"Medicated" feed does not necessarily mean antibiotics. Cocci need thiamin to survive and Amprolium is a thiamin blocker, not an antibiotic.

Some "Medicated" feeds have amprolium AND bacitracin, which is an antibiotic and helps if the chicks develop diarrhea.

Purina Flock Raiser comes in medicated and non-medicated and can be fed to chicks. I still would go with a chick feed containing amprolium though.

Purina Mills

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

Well, i pulled the tag off the bottom of my bag, and of course only got half the tag - the rest is sewn inside the seam. It looks like it contains amprolium. i don't see the word bacitracin anywhere.

i have 50 pounds of the Layeena on order and it won't be here until end of next week. By that time my little girls will be 17-19 weeks old. Might it be okay to just keep them on this medicated Start and Grow until then, and then switch them over when the Layeena comes in? My only concern was that they had medicated as chicks, then went onto non-medicated grower. Will this short stint of medicated feed be harmful in any way? Because if so, i still have some of the generic grow mash i can give them.

Thanks for any input.