Flock raiser questions

[JensChickies]

Hello. I have 3 six year old laying hens and 4 thirteen week pullets. The pullets have been on medicated chick feed since I have had them and of course my old hens have been on layer feed. My old girls are loving the chick food way too much so I am guessing I need to switch to flock raiser and offer oyster shell on the side until the babies start to lay. My questions are....

Will the chicks be ok being off the medicated feed and on the flock raiser?

Will flock raiser be ok for my 3 six year old hens?

 

[Mamatomany123]

Flock raiser will be fine. I've never fed my chickens medicated food. All 11 are fine. They are all also on flock feed.

 

[jpalmatier83]

Flock raiser will be fine. I've never fed my chickens medicated food. All 11 are fine. They are all also on flock feed.

Agreed. Have had chickens for a few years and haven’t used medicated food.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

I feed my chicks flock raiser from day one. Just be sure to get either small pellets or crumble for littles, but at 13 weeks of age they can handle the pellet.

However, be aware that the medicated helps support their system to gain immunity to the coccidia in the soil at your place. By 13 weeks of age, chances are well that they have gained that immunity and the flock is fine UNLESS you've had any incidents of coccidiosis within the last year or two.

I don't have heavy coccidia load, so I just skip the medicated feed altogether as it suppresses vitamin B (the method it starves the coccidia to destroy them in the system).

So they should be fine. Just watch for any lethargy or diarrhea within about 4 weeks, the life cycle of coccidia oocysts.

LofMc

 

[azygous]

You could continue to feed chick starter to all of your chickens if it wasn't medicated. The problem with medicated starter is that the low dose amprolium in it is blocking thiamine to a certain extent. This is not desirable over a long period as thiamine deficiency can cause functional problems.

Having a mixed flock is why many of us feed an all flock feed instead of layer and instead of chick starter. It's my own personal opinion that layer feed and medicated or unmedicated chick starter are marketing ploys to get us to spend more money on various feeds our flocks really do not need.

I offer oyster shell free choice for my layers, and in lieu of medicated chick feed, I dig up a clump of sod and give it to my baby chicks during the two week window when they are developing antibodies in their immune systems. They ingest all sorts of beneficial soil microbes in this manner that will actually strengthen their immune systems without the need for commercial feed products.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

I agree with @azygous to give natural immunity through early contact with soil.

I haven't had to worry about coccidiosis in, oh, at least 5 years as I've gone totally to hen brooding of my eggs hatched. I've never had coccidiosis in any chick hatched and hen brooded on my property. Those days were relegated to feed store chicks introduced later.

I HAVE caused vitamin B deficiency in chicks hatched with a hen as shown by toe walking, so I don't use medicated anymore.

Just what I do.
LofMc