What’s the point of medicated chick starter?

[QuailMan6666]

Why do they still make and sell medicated chick starter if they are a horrible feed for baby chicks?

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Why do they still make and sell medicated chick starter if they are a horrible feed for baby chicks?

They're not a horrible feed. It's to help prevent them from contracting coccidosis in loads too high to live

 

[Evadig]

Why do they still make and sell medicated chick starter if they are a horrible feed for baby chicks?

Many things are horrible for lots of living creatures, yet they still make them...

 

[realsis]

Why do they still make and sell medicated chick starter if they are a horrible feed for baby chicks?

Many things are horrible for lots of living creatures, yet they still make them...

Yes and like was said it is to help prevent a truly HORRIBLE disease called cocci as was said. It's your choice to feed medicated or non medicated. I see it as a prevention feed. I also bring soil in small amounts to help them adjust to the bacteria load naturally. All soil has cocci in it as I understand it. You can't get away from it. This is why I start them out with medicated feed as well. I'm a worry wart but don't think it's horrible to offer a bit more protection from a bacterial load that can litterly KILL them. It's a choice but it's NOT horrible. It's a protection of sorts.

 

[Henora]

Yes and like was said it is to help prevent a truly HORRIBLE disease called cocci as was said. It's your choice to feed medicated or non medicated. I see it as a prevention feed. I also bring soil in small amounts to help them adjust to the bacteria load naturally. All soil has cocci in it as I understand it. You can't get away from it. This is why I start them out with medicated feed as well. I'm a worry wart but don't think it's horrible to offer a bit more protection from a bacterial load that can litterly KILL them. It's a choice but it's NOT horrible. It's a protection of sorts.

how early do you give soil? mine are 2 weeks and really getting energetic. I'd like to cut them a square of dirt/plants to bring in for play, bc it's still too chilly here to take them outside.

 

[rosemarythyme]

how early do you give soil? mine are 2 weeks and really getting energetic. I'd like to cut them a square of dirt/plants to bring in for play, bc it's still too chilly here to take them outside.

There's not a magic cutoff of when it's best by, but "as early as possible" if you're hoping to build up their immunity via exposure.

 

[Roofus]

New to baby chicks here. Do you start the baby chicks out on the medicated starter immediately when you get them, and how long do you leave them on the medicated? If there is a cutoff point, can I then continue with just normal starter/grower? Will the medicated feed really keep them from getting the disease?
Thank you.

 

[alwaystj9]

Medicated chick starter has amprolium in it, a coccidiostat. Not an antibiotic. It is a preventative, not a cure for coccidiosis. Please don't dismiss things without doing your proper research nor make blanket statements bashing something without any supporting facts/evidence.

1. Amprolium is a drug that has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration.
2. Amprolium IS NOT an antibiotic
3. Amprolium has no withdrawal period, either in birds raised for meat or those used for egg production.
4. Amprolium works by limiting uptake of thiamine (vitamin B1) by the coccidia parasite, which needs the thiamine to actively multiply.
5. Amprolium allows some of the coccidia to remain in the system, stimulating creation of antibodies to develop against the disease.

 

[Roofus]

Sorry, I was not bashing anyone. I just wanted to know if I should use the medicated starter/grower to have a less chance of problems. If that has good results for other growers. Just wondering if that worked best for them.