Against Soya and coccidiostat. Feed idea

VanUnamed

Songster
6 Years
Jul 26, 2018
189
161
143
Romania
Hello,
I know now i am going to be defined as silly, and probably I am also reckless. I just can't ignore facts.
I am growing even and even more against soya, as it has been proven scientifically that pythoestrogen and soya anti-nutrients (aka immuno-suppressant chemicals), not to mention glyphosate as most soya is GMO make their way in eggs ad meat, I thought that using sunflowers seeds instead would be OK. I figured, if I do 1 part wheat 11% protein, 1 part corn 9% protein, 1 part sunflowers 20% protein, 1 part sorghum or another 10% protein cereal, I would end up with a 13.5% feed. I have a source of all the above cereals of the unsprayed variety. then I would buy vitamins and minerals to add to said recipe. I would add field peas but I don't know where to find these.
Is really the difference between 16% and 13.5% protein that bad, considering my flock goes on a quarter acre to forage, so I assume they must find some bugs in there?
About coccidiostat: Maybe science says that it helps build immunity and stuff, but I have also read that is used mostly on commercial operations and for backyard flocks is not really needed. I am going to have chicks hatched (hopefully) soon, all the chick starter is all medicated. Can I instead use milled grains (similar recipe to mine) with added concentrate? (they sell this everywhere, it's like you do 1 part concentrate 3 parts grains) it contains all minerals vitamin... and protein. It's from soya too, I guess for a few weeks until they get bigger would be fine?

Also my aversion to coccidiostat that I don't think it's a good idea to inhibit vitamin absorption and also, my experience is that I feel like it serves no purpose. once a chick gets sick, it always dies irregardless of what it was fed. One or two get sick, al the others don't.

thanks :)
 
About coccidiostat: Maybe science says that it helps build immunity and stuff, but I have also read that is used mostly on commercial operations and for backyard flocks is not really needed.

Also my aversion to coccidiostat that I don't think it's a good idea to inhibit vitamin absorption and also, my experience is that I feel like it serves no purpose. once a chick gets sick, it always dies irregardless of what it was fed. One or two get sick, al the others don't.

It does not seem like you have a correct understanding of the medication or when it is useful. Coccidiosis can/is present in both large scale facilities as well as the middle of the woods. Size of flock matters very little. The thiamine analog simply keeps any Coccidia parasite load to a manageable level in the intestines. It does not help build immunity or anything like that. It simply makes it harder for the "load" of Coccidia to explode in population, overwhelming the chicken.

You also are mistaken about a chick always dying after getting sick with Coccidiosis. If untreated, then high likelihood of death due to exploding population numbers, but it is easy to treat and many survive if you treat at the first sign of trouble. The "chick is sick, gonna die" mentality is pretty extreme since Coccidiosis can actually be treated more effectively and much more simply than many other chicken ailments (that they also can easily survive).

Maybe a middle road for you would be to feed unmedicated feed, but keep some Corid on hand so you can treat any that show a problem. This is what many folks do, myself included. In all honesty, the medicated feed has a REALLY low dose of the meds, low enough that I don't see the point in even feeding medicated versus just treating when I see an issue.
 
This isn't a good idea. Chicks cannot digest seed right off the bat unless they are provided chick grit and even then. Chicks require high protein (20%+/-) to develop normally. Inhibiting that is just cruel, IMO.

13.5% protein is too low for normal function for adult chickens and free ranging lowers that even more. Think like 10% instead. Ever heard of linseed meal? 37% protein and the #1 choice for an alternative livestock feed ingrediant.
 
Alternative feed ingredients that I've looked into and particularly like are:
  1. Linseed Meal
  2. Flax Seed Oil
  3. Alfalfa
  4. Brewer's Yeast
  5. Dried Molasses
  6. Kelp
  7. Wheat
 
You mention "Coccidiostat" - which one are you talking about? What most people with backyard flocks in the US use is Amprolium. Are you referring to a different Coccidiostat since you live in Romania?

Oooooh.....good catch. All my comments are based on the assumption of Amprolium. Which is probably still true since they mention the "drug" inhibiting vitamins. Do any of the other meds have that mechanism of action?
 
P.S. @VanUnamed , if you have the philosophy that weak chicks should be allowed to die, while the strong survive, I understand. No judgement here about that. Many view chickens as just a source of eggs and meat, and losses are acceptable in the process.

I just wanted to make sure you know you don't "need" to accept death from Coccidiosis. It can be treated.
 
Oooooh.....good catch. All my comments are based on the assumption of Amprolium. Which is probably still true since they mention the "drug" inhibiting vitamins. Do any of the other meds have that mechanism of action?
Good question! Yes, I thought about that phrase about drug inhibiting vitamins too, but thought I would ask just in case;)
Amprolium is the only one that I know of that is a Thiamine antagonist, the only other one that may be widely used in a backyard setting would be a sulfonomide, from what I understand it does not treat as many strains. I had to look that one up, it is a Folic Acid antagonist. Anyway....there's a list on the link below. I've seen where a few vets are giving Toltrazuril as well.
https://www.merckvetmanual.com/poultry/coccidiosis/overview-of-coccidiosis-in-poultry
 

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