Sulmet as Preventative?

If you read my previous post you'll know that I'm trying my best to go without medicated feed, but I'm a nervous wreck about it because I'm a newbie to chicks So, a quick question:

I'm currently feeding non-medicated and putting apple cider vinegar in the water. I just remembered I purchased Sulmet in case I see signs of cocci. Since I'm new to this, I'm not 100% sure if what I see (ie. occassionally runny poop) is normal or a sign...

So, if I wimp out on this non-medicated attempt (and don't want to buy medicated feed for the 2 weeks left), can Sulmet be given as a preventative? (ie. just add it instead of the ACV to their water for a week or so) or should it only be used if you're 100% sure the chicks are sick?

Any thoughts?

You probably should not give it to them unless you start seeing symptoms of cocci. Medications should be used sparingly because they are very hard on their systems.

No. Sulmet is an antibiotic (a sulfa drug) and should only be given if there is an infection present. It is not for prevention.

"Medicated" feed for prevention of coccidia does not contain antibiotics.

The "medication" in medicated feed is usually Amprolium, which interferes with how the parasites use thiamine in their bodies - causing them to die.

If you become so worried that you feel you must give something, you can get Amprolium under various trade names including "Corid" to give the chicks. It should be used only as directed as an excess of Amprolium can cause thiamine deficiency.

For more info on coccidia http://msucares.com/poultry/diseases/disproto.htm

On a related note, i'm curious what Apple Cider Vinegar does? How early do you start it and how much? I'm trying to go without medicated feed as well. Is ACV ok for Ducks?

Bob - have you been putting ACV in their water from the beginning? Mine are 3 days old, just got them today, and I am not using medicated food. Also, what is the ratio of ACV to water?

Thanks for the help!

-Sara

I read about the Apple Cider Vinegar in the Chick Days book. On page 45, in the dicussion about cocci, it suggests feeding ACV in the water from the beginning if you're going with Organic (ie. non-medicated) food. It says to add 1TB per Quart of water.

I believe the idea here is that the vinegar helps balance the ph in their stomach. The idea is similar to those folks that are feeding yogurts.

Hope this helps, I think I'm ok so far, just getting paranoid!

Great, thank you! I have some organic ACV already, so I think I will add it when I fill up their water tonight. I had read about it somewhere else too, but they didn't say when to start giving it or how much, so this is very helpful, thank you!!!

It's definitely a bit nerve wracking being a new parent to these adorable babies, but I think we'll all be fine. It's nice that we can all support each other here!

Thanks again!

-Sara

It's okay, Bob I worry about my little gals too Thanks for the tip!

Bob good for you don't give your kids meds if they don't need it, they rarely do. I put my chicks outside immediately. What's healthier, a kid laying around watching TV all day, or one running around in the sunshine swinging on trees..yup kids get dirty so do chickens. The graduated immunity is like this, you get a very small exposure over a period of time...how to keep it a small exposure, why easy, don't confine them in a poop ridden environment with a ton of wet manure. If they have sunshine, fresh air, grassy run they will thrive.. when the chickens contact a tiny organism the immune system recognises it as an intruder and builds a specific white cell to eat it, next time it gets that bug the immune system is already prime to attack it and doesn't waste time wondering what it is. Problems occur when the initial contact is too much/many for the immune system to gear up, build cells before the germ multiplies, or when the initial exposure doesn't cause the immune system to recognise a threat because it is hampered by medications, meds that are doing what the immune system should. I don't want weak immune system chickens, if they die, well, nature had her way. Large chicken factories cannot afford to loose alot of birds, so they use preventative antibiotics....they only keep that chicken for a short time and don't consume it..the general public feeds medicated because they asked for it and it was supplied. You know its unfortunate but one of the worst bugs has been mutated by humans for humans because people demand rx from their doctor when its unneccesary, and then don't take it as prescribed....most medical people do not want to treat this way but people expect to leave with a rx and really raise hell when they don't. So, why argue... Vaccinations on the other hand, expose the body to a usually simulated form of the disease they are attempting to eradicate, in an attempt to stimulate the immune system to produce antibodies against that specific threat, so when it does get actual exposure it is ready to go immediately into action, no lag phase. Taken correctly it is quite effective...think smallpox..however, vaccinations can have bad affects, including death which happened alot with that particular vaccine. Giving medication, especially in subterapeutic doses, can actually cause mutations in that bug, and now it is primed and ready to over whelm the body even when now medicating against it....now, life vrs death, can you think of a particular virus that humans have allowed to flourish and found a way to keep it alive in a host indefinelty? Scary scifi stuff that is reality.

I read a post about ACV...said 1 tablespoon per gallon. Which is correct?