Can guineas eat medicated chicken food

[Catwings]

We just somehow ended up with about 24 guineas which are about 3 months old, and 11 guineas that are about a month old. It has been a long time since we had guineas, and I seem to recall being told by someone not to feed guineas medicated chicken feed as it can kill them. We also have a flock of chickens. Can someone tell me about the medicated food? We have lost a couple of chickens lately and were considering switching to a medicated food but NOT if it can hurt my guineas.

 

[R2elk]

We just somehow ended up with about 24 guineas which are about 3 months old, and 11 guineas that are about a month old. It has been a long time since we had guineas, and I seem to recall being told by someone not to feed guineas medicated chicken feed as it can kill them. We also have a flock of chickens. Can someone tell me about the medicated food? We have lost a couple of chickens lately and were considering switching to a medicated food but NOT if it can hurt my guineas.

The medication will not hurt the guineas. The problem with feeding guineas chicken feed is that it does not contain sufficient protein for young guineas.

 

[Catwings]

Thanks - I have been reading that the young guineas need more protein, right now we are feeding wild game bird food to all of the poultry - just thinking when they get older we might switch them all to medicated food if there were no reasons not to. Thanks so much for your help!

 

[BarbaraNH]

You have to be aware of the kind of medication that is in the chicken feed. If it's amprolium which is added to help prevent coccidiosis, that's fine for guineas; but there are some of the ionophoric anticoccidials that can be harmful to guineas. Perhaps that is what you might have read about. Monensin (brand name Coban), in particular, can be toxic to guineas. Some chicken feed (not most, and I have never seen it listed on any feed bag myself) can contain monensin. Just read the ingredients on the bag and make sure it isn't listed.

 

[KY Acres]

You have to be aware of the kind of medication that is in the chicken feed. If it's amprolium which is added to help prevent coccidiosis, that's fine for guineas; but there are some of the ionophoric anticoccidials that can be harmful to guineas. Perhaps that is what you might have read about. Monensin (brand name Coban), in particular, can be toxic to guineas. Some chicken feed (not most, and I have never seen it listed on any feed bag myself) can contain monensin. Just read the ingredients on the bag and make sure it isn't listed.

Thank you so much for clarifying that!