** Medicated Vs. Unnmedicated Chick Starter **

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ksmith

ksmith

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I am getting ducklings soon, so what is you opinion. The only thing that would be hard is I have week old chicks, on medicated chick starter, so I would have to switch over to unmedicated. What if I mixed medicated with unmedicated?? thanks!!
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What brand of medicated are you getting? it should be fine for the ducklings, i have fed dumor and purina medicated with several batches of ducklings and all where excellent. What they put in the feed now is a lot different than what it used to be and should be safe for the ducklings.
 
When I got my chicks and ducklings last year, they told me at the farm store that I couldnt use medicated food with ducks. They told me it would kill them, and I dont know if it will or not. I went with non medicated and my chickens and ducks are all healthy. i would ask the place your getting your ducklings from..
 
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This USED to be true. If the feed is medicated with amprolium, it is fine for ducks, and will help chicks build immunity to cocci in the soil.
 
ksmith, I know I am new here, but I hope I can help. I had the same question, with the feed, but I had already been feeding mine Purina Medicated Chick Starter because it is what the feed store, where I bought the ducks, told me to feed them. Then I ran across something online that said it would kill them.
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Needless to say, I began flipping out and lost sleep that night!! Then I came here (BYC) and found out it is fine to feed medicated as long as it has amprolium, which mine does and as long as I supplement with Niacin. My ducks seem very happy and healthy, except for a skin problem with one Pekin and I am looking to solve that one today.
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I did purchase wild game starter yesterday, on the advice of a few more educated (than me) folks on here and will start them on it today. I just want to make sure they have Niacin. My Littles are 3 weeks old, and we don't seem to have had any problem with the Medicated Chick Starter. It is so odd to me how one feed store has one opinion and someone at another feed store tells another opinion about feed starter! That is exactly why I joined here
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Let us know how things go!
Good Luck with your new babies...ours have brought us so much joy!

Blessings and L.O.V.E.
Pam
 
The Medicated Chick starter that I bought is also Purina Brand. Is this ok?
 
Well its good to know that they can have it, I have a mallard thats been on her nest for 24 days now..Im getting excited, Im going tomorrow to get some starter to have on deck for when they come...I might try the purina medicated. Thanx for the info.
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Purina is an excellent brand. If your feed store carries Purina Flock Raiser, it's an ideal feed for both chicks and ducks, and you may not have to add niacin. If you're using any other sort of chick starter or even another type of "mixed flock" starter, you will need to add niacin to avoid leg weakness.

I don't know much about the medication. As a rule, I avoid medications for my family and my livestock unless we're actually sick. So I have not done the research and can't answer that question, sorry.
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Good luck. Ducks are fun.
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