Chick feed/ medicated or non?

[DellaMyDarling]

I feed 23% game bird starter (unmedicated) for the first few weeks. I add some sod when they are bigger, 1-2 weeks old. I switch to medicated chick starter at 3-4 weeks, when they go out to the coop. I keep them on medicated till they are 8-9 weeks, then go to an all flock crumble. I have had a few chicks get coccidosis, and find the medicated feed to be necessary for me. Once they are feathered and roaming around outside, I have to get them on medicated feed for awhile.

Interesting.
Wondering if I should introduce medicated to the 4 week olds in my run...
Why gamebird starter?

 

[Ghosty]

Interesting.
Wondering if I should introduce medicated to the 4 week olds in my run...
Why gamebird starter?

I like a little higher protein early on. My feed store has expensive non-medicated 20% chick starter, 18% medicated chick starter, and the 23% game bird starter. I go with the game starter because it is cheaper than the expensive 20% chick starter. I have given it to all my chicks because I was raising guineas as well. Now, I just stick with it because it is my best high protein, unmedicated option. I will say, the game starter seems to make for stickier poops. I would make sure they have bedding they can scratch up well. I used Timothy grass in my brooder this last go around, and that was a mistake. Their poos were not getting mixed in, and were sticking to their feet. I had to give all twelve chicks a long foot soak, and pull the crud off their toes.

 

[SeaHen]

Where are a chicken’s valves and please explain the mechanism of them being clogged. What are the outward signs of clogged valves?

I'm guessing the "valves" are the lower digestive tract and the clogging refers to constipation. Just a guess though!
‘

 

[Ericapd]

Maybe he meant bowels?

 

[Willowspirit]

Maybe he meant bowels?

Maybe he did. My question is sort of intended to consider the advice the OP got and whether it made sense or not, I.e. does the feed store owner know what he’s talking about or is he just repeating some nonsense he heard years ago? The OP can’t really judge the effects of the food on chickens unless he has some idea of how a chicken works, right?

 

[Ericapd]

Maybe he did. My question is sort of intended to consider the advice the OP got and whether it made sense or not, I.e. does the feed store owner know what he’s talking about or is he just repeating some nonsense he heard years ago? The OP can’t really judge the effects of the food on chickens unless he has some idea of how a chicken works, right?

Yeah, I would think so. I have two baby chicks on medicated feed and one of them has had the runs! For several days too.... So I switched to non medicated feed and there is still a problem. I previously had a chick that died from coccidiosis (one of my 12 week olds), so now I’m treating the two new chicks with corid with the non medicated feed. I never heard that medicated feed could harm them/clog their bowels. But medicated feed hasn’t seemed to prevent sickness for them either. I’d rather just use the non medicated and treat them if I see any symptoms of sickness. My other birds are fine now and the two new chicks are still doing well in the brooder in my house and I’m expecting the loose stool to clear up in the next few days.

 

[Rose Quartz]

I use non-medicated. Some one said to me a long time ago they refused to eat meat that had been medicated at all. They raised their own animals. They said they'd never buy any live animals that had been given meds either. I cant remember the reasoning anymore but it stuck with me.

Why I choose not to use medicated for my chicks is strongly influenced by that, but also the fact that the chicks can still get what they're being preventatively treated for makes it seem pointless to me. If they do get sick at least i dont dismiss cocci as a possibility and waste time looking at other sicknesses first.

 

[Ghosty]

I take that back. I am using 22% unmedicated meatbird starter this year, and 18% medicated chick starter. For coccidosis look for standing still and ruffling up feathers, and bloody stools. I wouldn't feed medicated all the time. I don't have any problems until I transition them to the coop and outside, even though I give them sod before that. So I feed medicated for about a month. I don't think just a week of medicated is going to do a whole lot. Some young chicks may just drink more water and have runny poops, or haven't adjusted to the feed yet.

 

[Ghosty]

The amount of amprolium in medicated feed is very mild, and is only meant to prevent an overload of coccidia. I would rather use medicated feed for awhile than resort to having to give them Corid later when it gets bad, or lose my chicks. If yours get it, you will know.

 

[Folly's place]

"Medication' covers a lot of territory! Amprolium in chick feed is a low dose of a drug that selectively damages some of the coccidia, so the chicks can manage the few who live, and develop immunity against them. It's not given at levels that treat illness, and is not an antibiotic. I'd rather use the medicated feed rather than treat sick chicks!
The feed needs to be used during and after exposure, so feeding it for a short time will fail. There may be times when exposure is so overwhelming that treatment may be necessary anyway, but not often.
Mary