Medicated feed and thiamine/vit b

[AinaWGSD]

I know the thiamine/b vitamins renders the amprolium in medicated feed ineffective, but does medicated feed affect the efficacy of thiamine? If you were treating a chick for thiamine deficiency would you need to switch to non-medicated feed?

 

[Ridgerunner]

I'm not a veterinarian so there may be some nuances to this that I could miss. Amprolium is a thiamine inhibitor so I can see why there would be a concern.

Why are you using medicated feed to start with? Do you have a history with Coccidiosis where it is indicated? Or is it just a preventative you use just in case? Many of us do not use medicated feed and manage coccidiosis by keeping the brooder dry. But your history may indicate otherwise. Are you treating all of the chicks with the vitamins or just the one chick?

The Amprolium inhibits the reproduction of the protozoa that causes coccidiosis. It does not stop all reproduction, just reduces the number produced. If you are treating all the chicks with that vitamin you are probably not getting any benefit from the medicated feed and I'd quit using medicated feed.

If you are only treating that one chick with the vitamin then the other chicks are limiting how many "eggs" of that protozoa they are producing so all the chicks get protection. It is the total number of the protozoa in their system that causes the problem, not just the presence of a few. If you feel the others need the medicated feed I'd keep feeding it but you are negating the benefits of the treatment for that one chick.

One of the things about medicated feed is that it is only beneficial for the two or three weeks after the chicks have been exposed to the bug that causes coccidiosis. Do you still need it? Could you isolate that one chick and medicate it but feed it only non-medicated feed until the others have the immunity to coccidiosis they need?

I don't know enough about how you manage your flock and your history with coccidiosis to give any specific recommendations. Good luck!

 

[AinaWGSD]

Asking for a friend, they noticed one of their chicks had curled toes, and im not sure if they're feeding medicated or not. They're treating all the chicks with vitamins, but I wanted to be sure to warn them if the amprolium would affect the vitamins