chicken feed... what's the difference

[wanda047]

I searched the site for an answer, but never found exactly what I was looking for, so maybe some of you can help.

Is it better to feed medicated or unmedicated chicken starter and why? Can someone tell me the pros and cons? I understand the benefits of giving medicine to prevent the Cocci, but besides that, is there any reason to feed the medicated feed to the chicks? Part of the reason for raising chickens to eat, was to avoid all the unhealthy stuff they put in the chickens raised in poultry farms. I want to feed my kids healthy food!

Also, why would unmedicated feed be more expensive than the medicated? I would think the medicated would be more, but that's not true where I buy my feed. The cost is not an issue, but I was confused by the difference... which was the complete opposite of what I expected.

Thanks in advance for answering a question which I'm sure has already been asked somewhere on this forum.

 

[speckledhen]

You do not have to use medicated starter; in fact, it doesn't necessarily prevent cocci. You can watch for symptoms and treat if needed with Corid, which is concentrated Amprolium, same med as in the starter, but higher dosage. I have to do it all the time now, even with medicated starter. There's not alot of difference in the cost, in my experience.

 

[Glenda L Heywood]

to add to that some companies put an antibiotic in as medicated chick starter
so ask them if it is amproylium that is in the medicated chick starter
any questions email me

It is simple the company that makes the amproylium such as corid quit making corid in the powder as they got big contracts to provide the amproylium to the feed stores for medicated chick starter

with that said they do still sell the amproylium Liquid for about $100.00 GALLON
of which the supply dealers break it down into qts and some pints and resell it

thus if you want unmedicated feed that the feed dealers DO NOT sell as much they charge you more

with that said
do ask the feed dealer how old the chick starter is

so if it has a old date oin the tag it is deficient in vits as feed over three months old is not as good as 1 month old feed
every feed company has to put a due date on it to have it resale in such a time zone
but some dealers do not resell it and stock pile it till some one comes in and ask for it

Beenthere done that seen that!!!

email me for any questions

 

[speckledhen]

Good point about feed freshness, Glenda. I daresay most never check the expiration dates on the feed bags. And bug-infested feed also loses much of its vitamin power, too. I return any bag that has bugs in it, which never happens anymore since I quit buying at the local Southern States.

 

[wanda047]

I can't locate an expiration date on this bag that I bought yesterday anywhere. Maybe I'm just not seeing it.