Medicated or nonmedicated feed?

[steveo]

My meat chicks are scheduled to arrive some time next week and I am going to pick up some feed for them. I was thinking that I do not want medicated feed but want to know how everyone else starts out. Do you start out with medicated feed and then switch over to non medicated? I also see that my feed store has organic feed available.

I was thinking about going with non medicated feed or even organic if it is not to expensive. If medicated is what everyone recommends to start, then I will go that route. I am just looking to see what everybody has had success with.

 

[purecountrychicken]

I didn't use medicated with my first flock. I dont plan on using medicated in the future either. But you can feed medicated if you want,,its kinda your choice.

 

[jaku]

My thought is that if you're going to use medicated feed, why not just buy them from the store? I use only non-medicated feed. Even with medicated feed, you often won't prevent them from dying. Organic is too expensive for me, though. I get feed mixed and ground at the mill.

 

[AussieSharon]

I tend to go with the non medicated, mainly because I can also give it to duckings and quail if I need to.

As mentioned, organic feed is often very expensive and if you're feeding it to meat chickens it makes for an expensive dinner.

 

[deerman]

I feed a medicated starter, first 4 week. really help if you plan on putting them on the ground.

 

[sandspoultry]

That's all we feed is medicated starter.

Steve in NC

 

[steveo]

Thank you for all the replies!

 

[Darin115]

I have 6 cornish x chicks. I fed them regular chick starter for the first few days until I read that they need a higher protein. I stopped at the feed store today and asked if they had game bird starter. They didn't. He suggested turkey starter. It is 28% protein and is medicated. It was kinda high ($15.50 for 50lbs.) but I figured they need the higher protein so I bought it.

I hope this is ok. I figured I would feed it for a couple of weeks and then switch to a high protein grower feed.

What do you think?? Good idea or not.

The feed has a fishy smell. I guess they added fish meal for a boost in protein. I fed turkey starter to some chicks that I hatch earlier this year. They are healthy and beautiful now. They are 6-8 weeks old.

Darin

 

[quercus21]

We have never used a medicated feed for any of our birds. We raise birds for meat and eggs. Our feed comes from a local mill. Last year, with the Cornish X, we had a ~96% survival rate. At this moment we have 1 rooster and 8 pullets for eggs.

Kaj

 

[deerman]

Quote:

thats what I feed the first 4 weeks for rock X cornish.