Can my chicks go off medicated feed at 3 weeks?

[4urbanchicks]

The food I have does include amprolium as the "medication". That is all that is in there that would be considered medication. It is Purina Start and Grow medicated. I guess I can continue to get more of the same feed, if they need to stay on it, but do I need to worry about the amprolium being in any eggs they produce at some point?

 

[Supermommy486]

I don't have an opinion but I wanted to throw out there that mine were on medicated from the day they hatched, they had clean brooders, not overly crowded ect and they still got cocci. I lost 1 of my 20 birds to it.
Do more research and choose what your comfortable with. HTH

 

[lemurchaser]

Quote:
They won't be laying eggs for another 17 weeks. It doesn't take long for Amprolium to leave their system. Did one bag last 3 weeks? If so, I'd get one more bag and you'll work out about perfect (although food consumption will increase significantly during that time).

 

[PunkinPeep]

I don't personally use medicated feed anymore, and if you want to know why, you can click on the link in my signature.

The most important thing for you to consider, in my mind, is whether and how long they have been on the ground. If your chicks have not been scratching around outside, the medication can have no effect.

In my experience and research, if chicks are going to be overwhelmed by the cocci protozoa, it usually happens after about 2 weeks of living outside, daily scratching around in the soil. The medication can have a preventative effect only if the chicks are, at the same time as being medicated, being exposed to the protozoa contained in the soil. If they are not being exposed, then all you're doing with the medicated feed is keeping them from absorbing vitamins.

I hope this makes sense and helps you make your decision.

All that said, i would buy a bag of unmedicated feed along with a bottle of Corid the next time you're at the feed store, and then just medicate them if they show symptoms of Cocci.

 

[4urbanchicks]

Quote:
In my case, the chickens will be inside the garage in a brooder until it is warm enough to put them out and they are feathered out (about 5-6 weeks). We will be housing them in a chicken tractor and they will be in an area that has never had chickens on it. So, if they are getting the cocci from the soil, the would not be exposed to soil until they are put ouside, and I am not sure if the protozoa would be in the soil in our yard?

 

[haTHOR]

just bought some 1.5 wk old FCBMs and put them on unmedicated like my hatched chicks* even though they had been on medicated. maybe i am prejudiced but after a day or so on the unmedicated they looked so different and so much healthier. like i said, maybe i'm biased...but for SURE, after a few more days, i can say they are healthy and strong--so no ill-effects here from switching to unmedicated even before 3 weeks.

good luck!

* all my local feed n seed sells is two kinds of unmedicated, and they sell tons of chicks--isn't that interesting? they also buy from cackle hatchery, which i thought was neat.

 

[PunkinPeep]

Quote:
My very first set of chicks on this property got a good case of cocci, so i would say yes, assume that the protozoa are in your soil. Whether you decide to continue with medicated feed or not, please do purchase a small bottle of liquid Amprolium 9.6%, most often under the brand name Corid, just in case. I can't speak for other areas of the country, but around here i expect chicks who are not exposed to the ground beginning their first week of life, to get Cocci about 2 weeks after exposure, whether on medicated feed or not.

 

[speckledhen]

In my experience and research, if chicks are going to be overwhelmed by the cocci protozoa, it usually happens after about 2 weeks of living outside, daily scratching around in the soil....... around here i expect chicks who are not exposed to the ground beginning their first week of life, to get Cocci about 2 weeks after exposure, whether on medicated feed or not.

I agree, same here. If I could get non-medicated feed, I would. I think Purina has some Home Grown brand that isn't medicated, but they removed the animal protein from it plus it's like powder and more expensive by several bucks than what the co-op has. So, I feed what I have to feed and keep Corid on hand for the usual outbreak.​

 

[4urbanchicks]

So, actually, it is really not necessary to be feeding them medicated feed while they are inside in the brooder? Because it is a soil based organism? I have just ran out of medicated food, but the girls will not go outside for another 3 weeks. I can pick up the medicine for treating cocci and just keep them on the regular food now, or I could switch them back to medicated food when they are ready to go outside? Am I understanding this right?

 

[PunkinPeep]

Quote:
Yes. Or you can just keep feeding them whatever unmedicated feed you choose after they're outside also. Just be sure to keep the medicine on hand for an actual outbreak.