Switching Chick Feed?

[mylilchix]

I've had my 9-11 week chicks eating Purina Start & Grow. Well, yesterday when I was at the feed store i forgot to pick up chick feed there. I'm heading to another one today, but they carry a different brand. Will it be ok to switch the chicks to a different medicated feed or should I make a special trip to get the Purina?

Thanks, Sonja

 

[speckledhen]

You can switch them, no problem. Usually, feeds contain the same grains, etc, anyway, however, the new one may have a different coccidiostat than Amprolium-you'll have to read the label.

 

[priszilla]

I had the same problem- and got nutrena instead of purina-Ihtought no probelm - these babies are indoors on shavings - which are changed REAL often - (and some were still on shelf liner) and Nutrena is a GOOD brand-- but I lost 3 babies in 2 days- I went and go purina and mixed the 2 and it was fine- the moral- don't do it quickly- mix it slowly and they should be fine. Now i did have a light go out on one set of babies where I lsot 2- but I lost 1 in a brooder that had no light/heat problem. I seldom lose babies. And htese were babies that were over 2 weeks old and had no symptoms- just boom- dead.THe feed did not smell of look bad in any way. Just my experience- I would mix the 2 if at all possible-not just make a big change

 

[speckledhen]

Nutrena in my area has an extra ingredient for a coccidiostat that Purina does not have. Maybe they were sensitive to it for some reason. I've never had Nutrena since it's made by Cargill and I have issues with them, but I read the labels. It has Amprolium PLUS erythopabate (sp?)

 

[mylilchix]

Thanks everyone for your advice! I went to the feed store tonight, and lucky me they started carrying Purina this week! Woohoo!! I did a happy dance in the store.

Sonja