We have some little girl that we want t start integrating with their bigger sisters....but want to make sure that we keep them on the medicated crumbles for the right length of time....so the question is how long do they need the medicated feed?
How long do you need to feed 'babies' medicated food?
- Thread starter geoaware
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I dont know if it depends on th brand of food you are using but I use the purina and they suggest to feed the meducated starter food until 18 weeks and then switch to the layer food...but I guess that would depend on if you have meat birds or laying birds
- Jun 15, 2008
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Are you wondering how long can they have or how long do they need it? I've been told the greatest risk is in the 2-6week age range so sometime shortly after that you can stop feeding medicated if you want. They can eat medicated until your ready to switch to layer. Usually around 16-18weeks. I plan to switch my current ones to nonmedicated at about 8weeks when this bag runs out. My older ones are 8weeks now and will be 16weeks by then and I don't have enough chickens to buy 2 different feeds.
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I never gave mine medicated food. The first couple of weeks, I put vitimins and electorlytes in their water on the recommendation of our local feed store. They pretty much thrived.
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Me neither. I have fed mine laying mash from day one! They are now 6 wks., have been free ranging for 2 wks. and are very large and healthy. I added vinegar to their water at first and every so often. I fed the last young ones laying mash as well and they are much larger than my original flock of bigger hens. Maybe there are exceptions to this rule of damaging the kidneys, yada, yada, yada!
Me neither. I have fed mine laying mash from day one! They are now 6 wks., have been free ranging for 2 wks. and are very large and healthy. I added vinegar to their water at first and every so often. I fed the last young ones laying mash as well and they are much larger than my original flock of bigger hens. Maybe there are exceptions to this rule of damaging the kidneys, yada, yada, yada!
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Medicated feed is to prevent Coccidiosis. If you brood chicks in warm humid weather. You need the medicated starter late spring and late fall. Dry summer and winter you may not need it.
First 6 weeks all my birds on medicated feed. Cost about the same why not.
Do NOT feed medicated feed to laying hens,or meat birds before they are butchered.
Medicated feed is to prevent Coccidiosis. If you brood chicks in warm humid weather. You need the medicated starter late spring and late fall. Dry summer and winter you may not need it.
First 6 weeks all my birds on medicated feed. Cost about the same why not.
Do NOT feed medicated feed to laying hens,or meat birds before they are butchered.
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