DOES NEWLY HATCHED CHICKS NEED TERRAMYCIN

[dadsgirl]

i was told that i need to give my new hatches terramycin, is this true, and if it is how much should be given per chick

 

[texaschickmama]

I do give mine some in their little waterers. I do this as a precautionary measure. There are some people that do not believe in this. I do. You have to watch the chicks closely for pasty bum. I only put enough in the waterer to turn to a pale yellow, very pale.

 

[gritsar]

IMO, healthy chicks do not need antibiotics of any sort. Using antibiotics in the absence of a bona fide illness can render them ineffective in the event you do need them in the future.

 

[Wynette]

I agree, 110%, with Gritsar.

 

[Katy]

Quote:
I agree with gritsar. In all my years of having chickens I've never put anything in the chicks water. I've never even used antibiotics for my adult chickens.

 

[silkiechicken]

No, you should not use it as a preventative. Over use of antibiotics is a wonderful way to create resistant bacteria on both them and ourselves. Over half the deaths in hospitals are due to infections that cannot be killed because they are resistant to antibiotics.

Please don't use them unless you know you have infection or have a high risk injury. They aren't a miracle drug. Furthermore, you WANT a healthy bacteria load to coat the birds in and out, to out compete the bad ones which can make them sick. Kill them all and you open the doors for virulent strains, which are often "weaker" in their ability to replicate vs wild type strains, to take hold and become a problem.