Alternative to medicated chick feed...

[Puck-Puck]

Hello,
I've been reading this thread and noticed two things which have me curious. I'm all new to chickens, don't even have mine yet, but thought to do my homework first...
1. Is there something inherently wrong with soy, even non-GMO?
2. Why apple cider vinegar in particular, among all the varieties that exist?
If you could fill me in, I'd appreciate it.
Thx.

 

[LauraN]

Narrower container sounds better for the yogurt. I knew how much they loved the yogurt so as soon as they started pecking at the pine shavings to get it off I removed the messy shavings. The milk isn't getting all over them anymore because I lowered their milk. Now they just dip their beaks instead of reaching up for it and getting it on their necks. I started cutting the garlic into chunks instead of squirting it in with a garlic press. That makes it easier to grab pine shavings out of the water without removing the garlic with it. Also, they are liking their water much better now that it doesn't have so much garlic in it.

Oh, I should add that the Greener Pastures recipe should be soaked. I wasn't soaking it for the first few days and a couple of chicks were starting to really slow down. I soaked the grains and they perked right up. Another day my daughter was supposed to pour boiling water over the grains (quick method) and let them cool. It was not very hot when she finally poured it and I started seeing chicks slow down.

One more thing! I think the eggs, milk and worms are important to feed with the recipe. Ronda (@ GP) says she also gives them a new clump of sod every few days in their brooder. I haven't done that yet.

If anyone is interested, search BYC for Greener Pastures and you'll see another thread about this recipe.

 

[amartinlb]

I thought Amprolium was a antibiotic used in chick starter feeds in minimal trace amounts to help chicks fight an infection should they get one....

Either way I only feed medicated feed for the first few weeks when they are most vulnerable, then I switched to an organic grower feed.

The medication should be completely exited their bodies by then and I am sure it is safe either way for us should we eat the eggs or the meat of a chicken that was treated as a chick with Amprolium since I read that it is FDA approved for treatment in cattle for the exact same thing... http://www.drugs.com/vet/corid-20-soluble-powder.html Says it's safe for Dairy and Beef Cattle as long as they are withdrawn from the medication exactly 24 hours before they are used...

Anyway I'm not sure I am right about what I said above, so if I am dead wrong someone let me know please! I'm here to learn lol

.

Hope that link helps give you some insight though on what exactly that drug is. Seems safe to me though...

-Anna

 

[amartinlb]

Also, wouldn't adding food grade Diatomaceous earth to non-medicated chick feed also help keep them healthy, or does that not affect internal bacteria/parasites?

 

[princessmama]

LauraN---I have been grinding the bigger grains all along(i actually bought the corn and wheat already ground as that is what the grocery store had), but not soaking. I've been feeding eggs and yogurt daily. tho not worms yet. I like the sod idea. They REALLY loved pecking around the one day it was warm enough to take them outside for a minute.

I have two that are really slowing down tho. They are the two littlest chicks. I went and got them some vitamins today and have been feeding them sugar water with vitamins. I'll have to try soaking the grain mixture even tho it's already ground up to see if this makes a difference. I wonder if I should separate them??

Soy has been proven to be detrimental to the health of humans and livestock and the verdict is still out on poultry. Sorry I don't have any links handy. Also my fam has a soy allergy and I just don't like to have it around at all.

Apple cider vinegar, the REAL stuff with a 'mother' the slimy stuff floating in the bottom (as opposed to flavored apple cidar vinegar found next to the white stuff

is extremely beneficial for digestion and general health. You might google it or something if you are interested in more info

 

[hollyk]

Thanks for all the good info that has been posted. I am on my 3rd batch of chicks since Dec. Now that I have my feet under me I am ready to switch to organic chick feed. My goal on our farm is to raise as much of our own food as possible that has come in contact with as few chemicals as possible. I have no faith in the FDA and what they approve as "safe".

 

[kauaifeerange]

 Greener Pastures Farm 

I cant find the recipe