Is Medicated Starter Feed Being Discontinued from Being Sold Through Feed Stores?

[Beekissed]

In a backyard setting, they are entirely unnecessary and there are other ways that prove more effective, and with less long term ramifications than using a coccidiostat, to keep chickens healthy. I've never fed such a thing to a chicken and chickens were raised for thousands of years just fine without the use of them...it's just the commercial use of them, where animals are crowded into unhealthy living conditions that has necessitated the need for such things in the first place.

I say good riddance. People will have to just start stepping up their game on flock management.

 

[lazy gardener]

What she said. Cocci are found in every chicken gut and are normal flora. People are scared to death because advertising has made it so. Give them access to natural soil from your yard (full of beneficial bacteria and fungi), just as Mama Hen would do, and give them a good dose of probiotics to jump start the good guy flora in their intestines ( you can buy probiotic packet to go in their water, or you can provide even more health benefit by giving them fermented feed.) A baby chick is hatched with about a 2 week window where she has natural immunity received from her mother, much the same way a human baby has natural immunity at birth.

 

[aart]

Ditto the not needing 'medicated' starter.
I bought a pack of Corid to have on hand 'just in case'.
4 years, and a half dozen or so batches of chicks, later it's still unopened as I never needed it.

 

[brucifer]

I understand that some folks don't like to feed a medicated starter to their chicks, especially if their chicks have been vaccinated, and I'm fine with that. However, some people like to feed a medicated starter, including myself. There are so many products out there when it comes to feed; we each just need to weight the options that are available to us, consider the needs of our flock and chicks, and make the choices in which we each feel comfortable. Also, my immediate neighbors raise cows, goats and turkeys, and I've actually found their cattle sleeping in my front yard and on other occasions leaving their calling cards. I also visit a lot of farms. Anyway, I could track the protozoa that causes coccidiosis back to my farm, so for me it makes sense to give my chicks some added preventative treatment for a few weeks when they're starting out in life. However, all this is beside the point.

My issue is with TSC discontinuing to carry my preferred chick starter because it has the word "medicated" printed on the sack. I love TSC, so I'm not going to boycott the store, but I am disappointed with their marketing decision. In the future, I'll probably switch to a non-medicated starter and add Corid to the water in my brooders.

I appreciate everyone's input.

~ brucifer

 

[Folly's place]

I visited the local Tsc in Williamston, Michigan yesterday, and they have Purina medicated chick starter available. It's true that everyone doesn't need to feed amprolium to their chicks, but some do need it to prevent sickness and chick deaths. My farm (high, dry, sandy) has been fine without, but I'd never make a blanket statement that the same is true for everyone. Mary

 

[aart]

Curious @brucifer what is your climate/location?

 

[lazy gardener]

I understand that some folks don't like to feed a medicated starter to their chicks, especially if their chicks have been vaccinated, and I'm fine with that. However, some people like to feed a medicated starter, including myself. There are so many products out there when it comes to feed; we each just need to weight the options that are available to us, consider the needs of our flock and chicks, and make the choices in which we each feel comfortable. Also, my immediate neighbors raise cows, goats and turkeys, and I've actually found their cattle sleeping in my front yard and on other occasions leaving their calling cards. I also visit a lot of farms. Anyway, I could track the protozoa that causes coccidiosis back to my farm, so for me it makes sense to give my chicks some added preventative treatment for a few weeks when they're starting out in life. However, all this is beside the point.

My issue is with TSC discontinuing to carry my preferred chick starter because it has the word "medicated" printed on the sack. I love TSC, so I'm not going to boycott the store, but I am disappointed with their marketing decision. In the future, I'll probably switch to a non-medicated starter and add Corid to the water in my brooders.

I appreciate everyone's input.

~ brucifer

Whether you have farm animals near you, or in your yard, or you track from one flock to an other, coccidiosis is naturally found in all soils. And you are correct, there is no right or wrong in this matter, it is a subject best decided after doing the homework, and making an informed decision. Mama hen imparts immunity to her chicks by having them eating from the soil that the flock is constantly fertilizing. And the chicks also eat her poop, which gives their guts a jump start of healthy bacteria/fungi, as well as inoculating them with local cocci.

 

[byclover2]

Hi, this is incorrect info -- your store manager was mistaken. He might have been thinking of the Veterinary Feed Directive changes that went in place this year, BUT that affects water-soluble antibiotics, mostly for cattle, and does NOT affect chick starter feed or other medicated feeds.

 

[byclover2]

Hi, it's not discontinued. That info was incorrect. VFD only affects water-solubles and no Purina products are currently affected. "Medicated" poultry products are all still available -- your store may have been out of stock -- that's it.
The only poultry product to have been affected is Manna Pro's AUREOMYCIN pellets and crumble.
And just so you understand, these changes are from TSC, they're nationwide and come from the FDA. They have more info at www.TractorSupply.com/VFD

 

[byclover2]

Hi, that's not correct. Medicated feeds are ALL still available for poultry. Only a small handful of water-soluble antibiotics (mostly for cattle) were affected, and they have since been replaced, not discontinued.