Should I be feeding Medicated Starter Feed or Non medicated Chick Crumb?

[Rosy Starling]

I am currently feeding a good quality Non Medicated Chick Crumb but now I am confused (after conflicting advice online) as to whether I should be feeding my new brood of 4 day old chicks, Medicated? Someone told me if I start feeding medicated then I will always have to feed, ie, Medicated Growers etc. and so on forever. Also they said that the Non Medicated was more beneficial for the chicks having better nutrients and vitamins etc. Another question, should I be getting my little home flock vaccinated? What issues are they likely to come up against?

 

[BroodyCluck]

I

I am currently feeding a good quality Non Medicated Chick Crumb but now I am confused (after conflicting advice online) as to whether I should be feeding my new brood of 4 day old chicks, Medicated? Someone told me if I start feeding medicated then I will always have to feed, ie, Medicated Growers etc. and so on forever. Also they said that the Non Medicated was more beneficial for the chicks having better nutrients and vitamins etc. Another question, should I be getting my little home flock vaccinated? What issues are they likely to come up against?

I used to insist on it for new biddies. But over the last year or so, I've been told that its outlawed now and I can't get it. I don't care what anyone else thinks, I've read all about the pros and cons. But I never lost a chick on it but now I can't get it so I don't. I'm in Texas.

 

[Punkybrewster]

I feed medicated until they have been exposed to their outside run for a few weeks. It just keeps the population of cocci down in their system until they have outgrown the risk of an overload.

Ive bought birds vaccinated for cocci. That was nice. One less thing to worry about. Cocci sneaks up fast and will kill before you know whats going on.

 

[M Brennen]

I
I used to insist on it for new biddies. But over the last year or so, I've been told that its outlawed now and I can't get it. I don't care what anyone else thinks, I've read all about the pros and cons. But I never lost a chick on it but now I can't get it so I don't. I'm in Texas.

We get it in Vermont. I have been feeding the medicated to mine. I believe the only thing it prevents against is coccidiosis, but that’s good enough for me. Also, I’m wondering if it would disqualify any chickens or eggs from being “organic.”

 

[Punkybrewster]

I dont believe it does.
It is just a "blocker".
Something to look into though...

 

[Rosy Starling]

I feed medicated until they have been exposed to their outside run for a few weeks. It just keeps the population of cocci down in their system until they have outgrown the risk of an overload.

Ive bought birds vaccinated for cocci. That was nice. One less thing to worry about. Cocci sneaks up fast and will kill before you know whats going on.

So do you think I should change to a medicated Starter Feed and then when they have been outside for a while stop?

 

[Ryguy3684]

We feed our young flock medicated feed. They generally have probiotics and low dose amprolium. Amprolium, in higher doses, is the medication used to treat for coccidiosis. In the medicated feed, it's a low dose intended to keep the parasite in check, so the chicks can develop a resistance to it on their own. We almost lost one of our chicks this year to coccidiosis, and it can spread throughout the flock quickly. I switched to medicated feed after that. Is it necessary, no. I do it because it's easier to try to prevent, than to treat. The hatchery my chicks came from didn't offer vaccinations.

 

[BroodyCluck]

We get it in Vermont. I have been feeding the medicated to mine. I believe the only thing it prevents against is coccidiosis, but that’s good enough for me. Also, I’m wondering if it would disqualify any chickens or eggs from being “organic.”

No I don't see why in my case they wouldn't be organic because I just fed it to mine as biddies. I have had times I would run low of reg feed and give it to the others a day or two. But I just made a point to give it to the new hatchlings being they are so vulnerable. But I bet what we had was different. Because it made claims of preventing other things as well not just coccidiosis. But it's gone now thanks to "Gov knows best. ". I never remember losing a chick on it.

We get it in Vermont. I have been feeding the medicated to mine. I believe the only thing it prevents against is coccidiosis, but that’s good enough for me. Also, I’m wondering if it would disqualify any chickens or eggs from being “organic.”

 

[Ryguy3684]

So do you think I should change to a medicated Starter Feed and then when they have been outside for a while stop?

I believe a lot of people do that. It's most important once they go outside and start scratching around, until their bodies adjust to the cocci in your soil. Mine either had it from the hatchery, or their first field trip outside, hard to tell. I have a 50 pound bag, so I'll be feeding it to them until it runs out, then probably switch then.

 

[BroodyCluck]

So do you think I should change to a medicated Starter Feed and then when they have been outside for a while stop?

I would but can't.