Hatching eggs with medicated chick feed

[WillGriffin03]

Hi!

I currently have a breeding trio of Dorkings separated from the flock to, well, you know...... breed. Anyway I have 3 6 week old red phoenix that need to move from the brooder. They've been raised on medicated chick feed and I need to put them into a cage where they can consume pullet grower (also medicated). This is where they'll live until they're 20 weeks.

Anyway back to the point I need to know if it's safe to incubate eggs with traces of medicated chick feed? Otherwise I'm happy to put up a divider.

Thanks and look forward to hearing from you!

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Hi.

What is your feed medicated with? And why do you use medicated instead of non?

Do you mean your breeders were also eating medicated feed? Or just that medicated feed spilled somewhere?

 

[Smuvers Farm]

Also, are you breeding to sell the chicks or eggs?

 

[WillGriffin03]

Hi.

What is your feed medicated with? And why do you use medicated instead of non?

Do you mean your breeders were also eating medicated feed? Or just that medicated feed spilled somewhere?

Hi I'm using medicated chick feed as it helps with coccidiosis, they're just turning 8 weeks and I'm going to switch to pullet grower. And I need to know if it would be bad if my laying hens consumed that.

What I'm worried about is if the breeding chickens eat that and then they lay fertile eggs which I will breed with. I don't know if pullet grower corrupts the eggs.

Thanks!

 

[WillGriffin03]

Also, are you breeding to sell the chicks or eggs?

Hi, yes I'm breeding and also selling some eggs.

 

[junebuggena]

Feed with amprolium is fine for birds of any age. But it only needs to be given for a few weeks, while the birds develop a natural resistance to the coccidia in their environment. It can cause thiamin deficiencies if fed long term.

 

[Smuvers Farm]

Hi, yes I'm breeding and also selling some eggs.

Locally, or through BYC as well? I am looking to add a couple of dorkings to my flock, is why I'm asking.

 

[chickens really]

To answer your question...Yes..Medicated is safe for the breeders to consume...I raised many Chicks under Mommas in the Coop and everyone ate the medicated. I had Eggs hatched from Mommas that had eaten it and all Chicks were fantastic....

 

[EggSighted4Life]

It can cause thiamin deficiencies if fed long term.

This I agree with.. and just don't see how it wouldn't effect the eggs.

I mean if it blocks thiamine, seems like the hatching eggs would be weaker or struggle more. Maybe end up us star gazers or something to that effect. But I have no personal experience hatching with medicated feed being fed to the parent stock.

I will also note with my first chicks I used medicated because that's what the feed store told me I needed to do. Since then I don't use medicated.. because coccidia are in every chicken poo. And simply keeping clean water and a dry brooder is USUALLY enough to avoid any issues. One year I did have to treat with Corid because I didn't realize the shavings looked drier on top then they really were underneath inside the brooder and it was my first time raising 10+ birds, which put out a lot more waste than 3. I'm NOT knocking medicated feed at all! I'm just saying that with good practice medicated isn't needed in MY experience.

Also here is a link showing decreases caused by thiamine deficiency. Says light bodied breeders are less effected than heavy bodied, but shows a decrease in consumption, laying, and hatch-ability... States that while it's non toxic, DID have an influence on reproduction.
http://jn.nutrition.org/content/76/1/59.extract

This link shows amprolium levels left behind in eggs. Personally, even though the US has an acceptable level... Why would I want my nutrients diminished?...
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2919391

Anyways... look to my like you will get some decrease in overall productivity. It may be acceptable to you. For me, I would pass on feeding medicated to my breeders (actually even to my chicks unless needed).

Thank you for the question and giving me the opportunity to look into something I wasn't sure of. Now I know where I stand.

 

[lazy gardener]

This I agree with.. and just don't see how it wouldn't effect the eggs.

I mean if it blocks thiamine, seems like the hatching eggs would be weaker or struggle more. Maybe end up us star gazers or something to that effect. But I have no personal experience hatching with medicated feed being fed to the parent stock.

I will also note with my first chicks I used medicated because that's what the feed store told me I needed to do. Since then I don't use medicated.. because coccidia are in every chicken poo. And simply keeping clean water and a dry brooder is USUALLY enough to avoid any issues. One year I did have to treat with Corid because I didn't realize the shavings looked drier on top then they really were underneath inside the brooder and it was my first time raising 10+ birds, which put out a lot more waste than 3. I'm NOT knocking medicated feed at all! I'm just saying that with good practice medicated isn't needed in MY experience.

Also here is a link showing decreases caused by thiamine deficiency. Says light bodied breeders are less effected than heavy bodied, but shows a decrease in consumption, laying, and hatch-ability... States that while it's non toxic, DID have an influence on reproduction.
http://jn.nutrition.org/content/76/1/59.extract

This link shows amprolium levels left behind in eggs. Personally, even though the US has an acceptable level... Why would I want my nutrients diminished?...
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2919391

Anyways... look to my like you will get some decrease in overall productivity. It may be acceptable to you. For me, I would pass on feeding medicated to my breeders (actually even to my chicks unless needed).

Thank you for the question and giving me the opportunity to look into something I wasn't sure of. Now I know where I stand.

Excellent post!