Giving Duramycin to my chicks? Which I ordered Yesterday..eeep!

[fuzz]

Hey everyone!

Okay so I ordered my chicks yesterday. And the first two sultan chicks come on May 1st. I ordered my chicks through town & country and I dont know the hatchery they are getting them from. I am going to call and ask soon. I only ordered two sultans and they both come on may first. Is that going to be okay? Just having 2 chicks? I also ordered 2 silkies, a blue and a black. They don't have a date yet and I am on a waiting list. Lastly I ordered 4 barred rock chicks. They come sometime in june.

Problem number 1. I bought a 6.4 oz pack of Duramycin Soluble Powder Antibiotic. I was told to put it in the chicks water for the first week. It seems like a safe thing to do but I was told in another topic that doing that with no apparent disease was not good because if they do happen to develope a disease in the future and I try to give them Duramycin they may be more resistant to the duramycin because they have had it before. Except I think if they have a disease I wont be giving them duramycin probally a medicine specifically for i dont know lets say mites. Just want to check with everyone first and get their opinion on it. I would feel a lot better if I gave it to them.


Problem number 2. The day after my two wee little, adorable sultans come in I have to leave for the Ohio Rabbit Mini Convention. I don't want to leave my new chicks at home but I have no choice because I cannot bring them but I have to try and find someone who can care for them for a few days. I wanted to ask town & country the feed store where I bought them from. When the chicks arrive at their store they hold them in cute little coops with feeders and such until you can pick them up that day. I wonder if they would mind holding them a few more days. Why I have the feeling I am just being paranoid or dumb I dont know but I dont want anything to happen to these chicks. Especially the bantams.

 

[fuzz]

Healthy chicks do not need anything in their water. They just need clean fresh water.
If you have a weak chick you might consider some sugar water but even it's not necessary with strong chicks, again just need clean fresh water.
Using antibiotics when unnecessary can render them ineffective if and when you do need them in the future. Plus, it's how super bugs are created.
ETA: In addition a single antibiotic like duramycin or tetracycline is not a magic fix all. Certain antibiotics work for certain illnesses and are useless on others.
Please don't give your healthy chicks antibiotics.

Nevermind to the first question, the people at tractor supply fooled me too. I won't be giving them Duramycin, I think I am going to talk to tsc managers or whatever when I go over there.

 

[orcasislandchickens]

Duramyacin is an antibiotc. It is not for mites and not for cocci. Mites are a common parasite although one highly unlikely to arrive on chickens from a hatchery, cocci is the most common thing for chicks to have a problem with (also a parasite) and if you "treat" at for it you simply use "medicated" chick starter instead of "unmedicated". Because coccidosis is a common enough problem Purina and most of the other feed companies include a preventative amount of a coccidistat in the feed. So you can feed that if you are worried.

It is very bad policy to treat healthy babies for problems they do not have. My policy is to treat only if there is a problem and then to make sure the treatment targets that particular problem.

With baby chicks arriving in the mail the only problem, if there is any at all, is dehydration or possibly cold. So I make sure I have a heated brooder waiting and I make sure everybody gets their beaks gently dipped in water as they are put into their new spot. I also watch pretty closely to see that they are all drinking and eating and I look for poop sticking to their butts. It is ok to add a spoonful of sugar (or mix electrolytes solution as per directions) to the water for the first day for an extra boost, but mine have never needed it. It is normal to lose one occasionally.

 

[orcasislandchickens]

I just saw you found your answer, and better worded than mine. I also saw your second question and yes two will be fine. It is important you get more than one, because they need a freind. So sounds like you are good to go. Remember to have the brooder set up and up to temperature before you bring them home.

 

[addicted2chicks]

I used the vitamins and electrolytes in my waterers for 1 week. Maybe I over did it but I wanted to just be on the safe side.
My opinion is to buy more chicks than you are wanting at least by 1 or 2. Only because things do happen and if you lose 1 at least you still have as many as you planned on.

 

[speckledhen]

There goes TSC disseminating bad information again.

Never use antibiotics except for injuries. Healthy chicks need clean water and I'd consider water with antibiotics contaminated if given to chicks with no health issues. Plus, they will give them diarrhea and are hard on their gut, not what you want the first couple of weeks with chicks!!

 

[fuzz]

Thanks for the help and assurance everyone!