Feeding Medicated or non medicated

[Wolverine88]

I got 18 silkies comeing in 2 days do I use. Medicated or non Medicated I hear and watch a lot of videos on medicated feed is not good for them can some one help me out on this

 

[snow5164]

I fed mine all medicated starter. I’ll always use one bag with new chicks , and also a starter powder in their water, I’d rather be safe then sorry. Some on here will say “ I’ve never used the medicated feed, “ that’s great but I also vaccinated my kids and get the flu shot .

I choose to do everything available to me to help them get a good start in life , that’s why I bought them and committed to raise them , why skimp on their care ??

Yes I’m passanete about this I bought a flock from a “ breeder “ who made her own feed... watching them poop blood and fall over and die was the last straw for me, I fed them with a dropper, saved the ones I could I gave them back to her, money was returned !!!

 

[AlleysChicks]

I’ve used both. Never seen any difference in the final product. This year while using non medicated feed I lost a bunch of chicks to cocci, have never had any problems prior. After some intense treatment they are fine.

 

[snow5164]

Right , but after “intense treatment “, could have been avoided in my opinion . A chick that’s been sick isn’t the same as a healthy chick. Not worth the few cents difference

 

[HuskerHens18]

I always used Medicated, but it never worked. Ever.


Really it's up to you, here non-Medicated is cheaper. So if you'd like to save 2-3$ a bag then go that route. I don't think that's being cheap or cruel to your chickens at all if you at least try to prevent cocci on your own(dry, clean environment, fresh water, fresh feed, no poop in feed/water, etc). Having Corid on hand is a good idea just in case, no matter what you feed there is a risk of coccidia. It's all in the poop.

If you clean out poop fairly often and keep it out of feed and water, you're golden!

 

[HuskerHens18]

I’ve used both. Never seen any difference in the final product. This year while using non medicated feed I lost a bunch of chicks to cocci, have never had any problems prior. After some intense treatment they are fine.

I was using Medicated feed this year and lost a ton of chickens, even adults. I wonder if it's a stronger strain going around, regardless of feed? So sorry you lost some though

 

[Amer]

I've had cocci. I think they had medicated but some nonmedicated mixed in. I believe nonmedicated just lets them develop an immunity to it.

I stopped feeding medicated this year because I started noticing crooked toes on chicks no matter the incubator, and the breeding parents even had extra protein layer feed.
I was using the high protein chick feed to help develop the Buckeye chicks better.
They were getting crooked toes. The protein feed was medicated. The medication is a thiamin blocker, which helps block the disease, but with the thiamin blocked, the vitamin B, possibly causing the crooked toes. They also don't let you feed it to ducks, and I have ducks. I just don't think it makes sense to feed it to chickens and not ducks.
After switching to a new feed, the problem stopped cropping up. I'm not saying medicated feed was what caused the crooked toes, there could be a lot of environmental factors, but I think the results of the feed switch were desirable, and I'm sticking with the feed that worked.

 

[cmom]

I have used both unmedicated and medicated which includes Amprolium. Amprolium is a coccidiostat formulated to reduce the growth of the coccidia oocysts, allowing the young chick to develop an immunity to cocciodosis as they grow. I use the medicated. I haven't had a problem with it and I believe that there are other causes for birds to drop dead and other issues and not because of the feed. This is just my opinion.

 

[AlleysChicks]

Right , but after “intense treatment “, could have been avoided in my opinion . A chick that’s been sick isn’t the same as a healthy chick. Not worth the few cents difference

In your opinion sure. I go through 200lbs of chicken feed biweekly. It adds up. So I try to buy local.
I have to drive 45 minutes one way to get medicated feed. None of the feed stores close by carry it. It is the same price as my flock feed.

My chicks were healthy. Were being the key word. I took some to a swap and brought them home. They went from normal poop to straight up blood overnight days later. I thought something had got in and slaughtered some. It took almost 2 weeks of corid to kick it. Not to mention daily bedding and brooder scrubbings.

Did I say a sick chick was the same as a healthy one? No. But many people have had success using either type of feed. I used unmediated for a whole year then chicks were contaminated at a swap. It happens that quick.

I was using Medicated feed this year and lost a ton of chickens, even adults. I wonder if it's a stronger strain going around, regardless of feed? So sorry you lost some though

I’m so sorry you lost them! With all the rain we’ve had this year it’s been a pain in the behind to kick! Even one of my goats got it. Cocci multiples so fast and moisture makes it worse.

 

[HuskerHens18]

I’m so sorry you lost them! With all the rain we’ve had this year it’s been a pain in the behind to kick! Even one of my goats got it. Cocci multiples so fast and moisture makes it worse.

Are we having the same life? One of MY goats got it too!! Plus tons of rain, more so than usual.