Chick feed- When do you feed the medicated feed?

[FrenchToast]

Ok,
My first ever batch of chicks will be hatching on Sat or Sunday (I hope).
So, what is the first food you give them?
I've heard you give them the medicated feed as a preventative?
How long do you feed it for before switching back to reg chick starter?

Please help me out here, I'm a new mom and want to do right by my chicks.
I'm sure everyone feels differently about this so please let me know what all of you do.

Thanks much, again, I love this site !!!

 

[chicmom]

You feed the medicated chick starter for the first two weeks. Good luck with your new babies!

 

[jerseygirl1]

Really? I thought they were kept on it til they move to grower or layer rations?I'll have to re-read my Chickens for Dummies

 

[speckledhen]

You can feed medicated starter/grower until they are close to laying or lay the first egg. It only helps them build immunity to the oocysts in the soil so their bodies are not overwhelmed and they get coccidiosis. Feeding it for two weeks won't do much for them and even feeding medicated feed (Amprolium) will not guarantee they won't get cocci.

 

[Tikka]

The bag says to feed it for 0-8 weeks, which I'm bummed about because it's so expensive and they spill so much of it.

I should really be figuring out a way to hang my waterer, so it doesn't get so much shavings in it.

 

[speckledhen]

If you can find grower as opposed to starter/grower, then you can switch to that at 8 weeks. I know they waste a TON of feed! I have 18 in my basement bathroom just making the biggest mess they can.

I can only find starter/grower combination feed here, so I feed that till laying age or whenever they go into the big coop with the adults at around 15 weeks old.

 

[tammyd57]

I know a lot of people will disagree with this, but it is what I do. (I'm not trying to say everyone should do this)
I don't feed medicated chick starter at all, ever, never have. It isn't always easy to find un-medicated feed, but I have never had sick chickens and they can build up their own immunity naturally. Chickens have existed a lot longer than medicated feed and been perfectly healthy.

 

[Tikka]

Is it a special chick feed? I guess I should check the feed store.

 

[shay20]

I feed mine medicated chick starter until 2 months of age then medicated chick starter and cracked corn until 4 months of ae, then layer and cracked corn. But i am thinking on mixing in grower with them at age 2 months and up.

 

[catdaddy66]

I have started my birds on medicated chick feed and plan to continue until the bag is gone (25 #'s). 30 birds should eat that in 3-4 weeks or so, I have calculated.

As if that ever works!! No, I probably will use it until they lay!