medicating chickens while raising ducks and chickens

[anconaduckman]

So I have ducks and now I am raising chickens. I wanted to know the pros and cons of buying medicated chicken food and buying my multi-bird flock raiser for the ducks VS using my flock raiser for everyone and medicating the chicken water.

Is one more cost effective?
Is one more save?
Easier?

Thanks in advance

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

So the birds are housed entirely separately? It sounds like they are, but I don't want to assume incorrectly and venture forward with advice that is not the best.
When you say you want to medicate your chicks' water in place of medicated starter - are you wanting to use corid in a preventative manner?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Most people prefer not to feed amprolium to ducks. If you can keep the bedding dry, (perhaps impossible with ducks) your chicks won't need medicated feed.
Are your flocks separate?
Too much thiamine blocker (medicated feed) can be harmful to ducks.
Raise them separately, keep the chick bedding bone dry and feeders at least half full.

 

[anconaduckman]

both will be free ranging day. So there in lies my problem. They will be in separate houses and areas for the evening and night.

 

[anconaduckman]

I am new to the idea of medicated food, I have ducks. So if they don't need it that is another thing. My dad is pushing getting medicated food. But I was thinking a flock raiser was a good solution then I have to figure the medicated part out. I do have STOREYS GUIDE TO RAISING CHICKENS. It is kind of hard finding info on managing ducks and chickens.

Here is what I would like to do. Free range the poultry during the day then in the evening they do have fully fenced and secured areas with their own housing. Maybe keep the food in there and regular drinking water out. Any advice would be much appreciated.

The chickens should be pretty dry as we have an acre and apart from a kiddy pool there isn't even standing water or mud from ducks or other sources.

I wanted to edit last post but couldn't figure that out so just replied.

kind regards

 

[anconaduckman]

Most people prefer not to feed amprolium to ducks. If you can keep the bedding dry, (perhaps impossible with ducks) your chicks won't need medicated feed.
Are your flocks separate?
Too much thiamine blocker (medicated feed) can be harmful to ducks.
Raise them separately, keep the chick bedding bone dry and feeders at least half full.

So chickens don't need medication if bedding is bone dry? why is that.
Why water half full?

thanks

 

[anconaduckman]

So the birds are housed entirely separately? It sounds like they are, but I don't want to assume incorrectly and venture forward with advice that is not the best.
When you say you want to medicate your chicks' water in place of medicated starter - are you wanting to use corid in a preventative manner?

I don't know what corid is or if there are other options and what would you suggest?
I definately want to go with as few interventions as possible.

 

[blkjak]

We have chickens, ducks, geese and rabbits. All house together at night and free range together during the day. We have fed medicated chicken feed. We have never had issues with anyone getting sick with medicated feed. If anything we have had more chicken issues with non medicated feed. We couldnt get our normal medicated chick starter for the last 3 weeks and have lost 8 chicks to health issues on organic feed. We usually buy duck and goose feed for nighttime for the waterfowl. If you put it out during the day the chickens eat it all cuz they love the higher protein.

 

[anconaduckman]

after some research on this forum I think I am going to feed medicated starter grower for about 4 months and then switch to the flock raiser that I use. it seems to be split on feeding medicated and those who don't feed medicated. Thanks for the advice and input.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

It is very split. It also depends on other management techniques. I've only fed medicated feed once in my life. And that's a long life raising many thousands of chicks.