What can you tell me about Arrow Brand Feed?

[mycritter]

I bought a bag of Chick Start to Grow Medicated from a local feed store. That is all they carried. Can anyone tell me something about the quality of this product?

 

[speckledhen]

Can't even find anything about it on the web, other than Arrow Brand dog food recalls. Never heard of it, sorry. Is there a website address listed on the bag so maybe I can look up an ingredient list?

 

[mycritter]

No website. This is what I have from a tag that was on the bag:

Grain Products, Plant Protein Products, Processed Grain By-Products, Forage Products, Di-Calcium Phosphate, Ground Limestone, Lignin Sulfonate, Animal Fat, Salt, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Niacin Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Choline Chloride, Folic Acid, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (Source of Vitamin K Activity), Biotin Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Methionine Supplement, Lysine Supplement, Manganous Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Sodium Selenite.

Guaranteed by:
O'Neal's Feeders Supply, Inc.
DeRidder, Louisiana 70634

 

[speckledhen]

Well, then it's a vegetarian feed, I can see that much. Is the medication in it amprolium only?

 

[mycritter]

It says the Active Drug ingredient is Bacitracin Methylene Disalicylate. (I had to piece the tag together after my three year "fixed it" with scissors. I think that's the correct spelling.)

This is my first flock and my first bag of feed, so I'm a bit clueless about brands. Is vegetarian feed good or bad?

 

[speckledhen]

Well, I purposefully use feeds that contain animal protein, in my brand specifically listed as porcine meal-some feeds may have animal protein and do not list the source. I use Tucker Milling feeds out of Alabama. Some folks prefer vegetarian feeds. To me, they make no sense if I can get a good quality feed with good quality animal protein in it. Matter of preference.

Chickens are omnivores, not vegetarians, and they will do best if they have access to some sort of animal protein, even if you feed them fish or eggs yourself in addition to your vegetarian feed, or you allow them to free range and find lots of bugs, lizards, frogs, mice and such.


My first flock was raised on vegetarian feeds, but I have since changed my management after learning more about what makes a healthy chicken.

The active ingredient in your feed is an antibiotic at a low concentration. Amprolium is the preferred coccidiostat since it is not an antibiotic, only a thiamine analog.

 

[mycritter]

I let them free range for about 2 hours a day. I'll be sure to save leftover meats for them in the future to supplement. I'm annoyed by this:

The active ingredient in your feed is an antibiotic at a low concentration. Amprolium is the preferred coccidiostat since it is not an antibiotic, only a thiamine analog.

I wish I had researched a bit more before buying that 50lb. bag. The good news is that I have more Feed Store options for the future. I'll call around ahead of time to see what they carry.

I only have three chickens that are 6 weeks old. This bag looks like it is going to last a while. Do I need to continue buying medicated feed in the future?

 

[speckledhen]

You don't have to, but you will have to watch for classic signs of cocci until they are around 12 weeks old or so. The truth is that medicated feed does not necessarily prevent cocci anyway, so many folks use non-medicated. I'd do it if I could find any around here that wasn't Purina's powdery, overpriced stuff or worse yet, Nutrena's 40-rather-than-50 lb bags that are about $4 more per bag than the 50 lb bag I buy.

What you may want to have on hand is a 16 ounce bottle of Corid 9.6% solution (it's a cattle product). If you see signs of cocci, i.e., fluffed up lethargic chick and/or bloody poop, you add 2 teaspoons to a gallon waterer and do that for 5-7 days and that should clear it up. Even on medicated feed, you may have to use it. Corid is concentrated amprolium.