Medicated feed

[greggy]

Will the bags of feed always say that it's medicated?....The 20% feed I'm using from TS doesn't say that, so I'm assuming it's not....I want to butcher in a week, so I sure don't want any medicated feed right now.

 

[chickenlady]

The tag will say medicated, not the bag itself.

 

[s6bee]

TSC sells the unmedicated kind. That's what I had mine on.

 

[greggy]

I thought so, but it's nice to have the opinion of such knowledgeable folks...thanks

 

[Dennis1979]

I am new to chicken raising. In fact I am only in the process of building the coop. I don't have the chicks yet. I have been doing a lot of research though and from what I understand, if the feed is medicated then that little white tag that is sewn into the strip must say MEDICATED. Otherwise it is non-medicated.

One other thing I have learned is that the TSC Dumor chick starter had "hydrolysed chicken feathers" in the ingredients. I have vowed to not feed my chickens meat in their feed or as scraps. They can eat bugs and worms all they want but I don't want to feed chicken to my chickens. It just seems wrong. I'm curious to know what others think about that.

I found a Purina dealer close by that carries the Sun Fresh products and they have no chicken, beef or any other animal parts in the feed. Only grain.

Dennis

 

[greggy]

Well, I raised chickens, rabbits and pigs for a few years, and the old timers told me to feed my chickens meat scraps once in a while to keep cannibalism in check. So I did. When my rabbit does kindled there was always a few born dead and I fed them to my laying hens, and I also gave them beef and chicken scraps to eat too. I never had a problem with picking, or cannibalism, and I never had sick chickens. To be honest I don't think much of the "organic" feed. I think it's a rip -off

 

[AllChookUp]

greggy - I don't understand how feeding the chickens meat will keep cannibalism in check. Seems like it would do tyhe opposite - Give them a taste for meat.

I don't have a problem with feeding chickens meat, but just want to understand the thought process.

 

[greggy]

I guess it would have to do what kind of animal chickens are. "opportunistic feeders" the logic as far as I can see it is that the meat / blood satisfies the need for nutrients etc not found in plant life., and/or to satisfy the urge to peck. the old timers never explained it, and it may be urban legend, but the hens love it!

 

[AllChookUp]

That makes a certain amount of sense. ;- )

 

[greggy]

Quote:
I have to qualify that was back in the bad old days when a lot of us mixed our own feed. It probably isn't necessary with the complete feed rations we buy now. I do know that chickens cooped up, or even in a fairly large yard will get bored, and something different for them to play with (besides pecking at each other) is a good idea.