food change for chicks

[piecemaker]

will it hurt to change 5 day old chicks from medicated to nonmedicated food

 

[hwerner]

You'll need to slowly fade out the medicated over a period of time. Add a little nonmedicated with it each day while using a little less medicated. Do this daily until you are using just nonmedicated feed. I don't think the non medicated feed hurts them, with the exception that it does help prevent coccidiosis. Which if you have older chickens that they are with or will be going out with, they should have until they are a few weeks older. Or so I'm told. I use non-medicated myself from day one and all my birds are fine. I think it's owner's/user's discretion. We just try not to medicate at all, and we start at the begining with chick feed.

 

[piecemaker]

hwerner thanks for the help having hard time finding medicated food said they usually only care it in the spring??

 

[Lazy J Farms Feed & Hay]

What medication is in the feed, why are you medicating?

If you don't want to medicate, then make the change. There should be no difference in the nutritional content or ingredients between a medicated and non-medicated feed if they are from the same mill and are the same feed.

Phasing in and out of feed isn't necessary with typical poultry feeds since they are based on similare feed ingredients.

Jim

 

[Mahonri]

I've never 'faded' in or out... just made the change.

 

[chickenlady]

There is absolutely no need to phase out the old and phase in the new...just switch. I switch all the time with no problems.

The meds are to help prevent cocci.

 

[piecemaker]

Thanks for the info I thought I could just change with no problem but wanted to make sure. The chicks I got today have been on the medicated type. Didn't want to upset any small tummies
Theresa