Can I feed unmedicated now and . . . .

Arielle

Crowing
8 Years
Feb 19, 2011
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Massachusetts, USA
and then medicated feed when moved to coop??

If turkey poults are kept in a brooder for 5-7 weeks in our house without contact with dirt or vegetation from outside, does the feed have to be "medicated" type?? Can I feed unmedicated until the birds are ready to go outside???????
 
I never use medicated feed...brooder or range. We don't medicate or laying hens or meat birds either...ever. Ohhh. Not quite true. One winter we had to dust our laying hens for lice. But we never buy medicated feeds. Just don't see the need if survival on unmedicated feeds is very high.
 
Thanks for the input. I'm more comfortable with protecting my investment. With more experience and understanding poultry and how our land effects them, I could try not using medicated.
 
I don't feed medicated either. I have serious issues with the overuse of prophylactic medications, but that is the biology teacher me talking, and just my opinion. My son is allergic to (chicken) eggs, but only if they are commercially produced. Weird, huh?

But that wasn't your question.

I think you will be fine feeding them unmedicated feed inside your house. I know several people here don't let their poults contact dirt until 4 months or so. I just don't know if you want to keep the poults inside your house that long. Mine are three weeks tomorrow and they are like dinosaurs tromping around the outdoor brooder. I came home from town and found that one had flown up on top of the hanging feeder and fallen inside. He/she couldn't get out. I should have taken a picture of her/his comical look. Turkeys are really fun.

By putting them in the coop do you mean an outside brooder/cooped up or letting them out in the run too?
 
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I know commercial broilers are routinely given antibiotics, but I have been told that most medicated feeds sold at the feed store contain a coccidiostat, but not an antibiotic. However, even if that's true, I also am reluctant to medicate when it's not needed. If I had a history of coccidiosis or disease, I might be talked into medicated chick starter. Otherwise, I won't feed drugs to healthy animals until there's a specific reason to do so.
 
Thanks everyone for your input. I would like to minimize the use of the coccidiastat as I too believe the livestock industry has over used the antibiotics; that is the price to pay for over crowding. Having said that, I couldn't see the point of a coccidiastat (sorry about the spelling) if the birds are not being exposed. We have many wild birds that visit as we have much clean habitiat without pesticides and herbicides and we try to be thoughful about our farming practices. SO I would like to not give antibiotics if its not necessary and start giving it just before going out in to coop/run. (I have had the chicks purchased from MM get their vaccinations for c. but no other hatchery does this.) Does this explain better.
 
Mine are just getting game bird feed, same as the goose and have been out for 2 - 3 weeks in their big coop with a large grass, now dirt run, and just we started to free range them. Am I pushing them too fast. They are active, line up at the gate in the morning to go out and put them self to roost at night, and growing like weeds.
 
Brian, does the game bird feed have a coccidastat? THe one I am feeding to my chickens that were vaccinated for the coccia does NOT have any medication in it. Just wondering.
 
The two brands available around here medicate the turkey feed but do not medicate the gamebird feed. I think the only difference between the turkey starter and gamebird starter is the medication.
 
x2

That is how the feed is supplied at my local feed store. To give unmedicated feed to the chicks (yes, chickens) because I had them vaccinated at the hatchery for the coccidia, gamebird feed was the ONLY choice for a feed with no coccidiastat.

I know many people think coccidiastats are not anitbiotics, but the labeling status is the same as antibiotics. Also, in horses we use SMZ, it also functions like a cocioastat ; I 've had a few too many converstions with my brother the pharmacist trying to explain it---I get it , just can't explain it.
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WOuld love to have everyone vaccinated as chicks.


Thanks everyone for your opinions.
 
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