Sponsored Post Hatching the Facts on Medicated Chick Starter Feeds for Layers

[matt1898]

I have used medicated on my birds as well. Not sure if it matters, but until we tilled the pasture for the garden this week, it was covered in cow poop and lately has been very wet due to cold and rains. I was concerned that at some point they would be released from the coop while it was still a bit messy, which would be a haven for bacteria.

 

[themadchicken]

i have always used non medicated. I prefer to let my chicks build up a natural resistance.

I found this. maybe it can help. https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/coccidiosis-and-medicated-feed

 

[Vickery]

I'm thinking that people that have many chicks may NEED the medicated feed because there is just too many factors to manage to avoid infection...however, our local feed store and chick supplier recommended non-medicated...my chicks (6 in number) are doing just fine with fresh water (several times daily), electrolyte additions to their water the first few weeks and as much outdoor time as possible with our current spring time weather. I also have given fresh greens (chopped lettuce,cabbage and carrot peels) as they have gotten older. The feed store (Benson's Feed, Carson City, NV) also mixed me up their special fresh mix of grower feed/scratch/grit. They are thriving and happy gals!

 

[blondiebee181]

I used non medicated because I brooded ducks and chicks together....medicated isn't safe for waterfowl. Plus I just used the gradual exposure method by slowly introducing my chicks to outdoor stuff like leaves and pine cones and dirt. I worried a little at first but I'm glad I went non...

 

[MaddBaggins]

Thanks for this article! I opted for a mix of medicated feed and unmedicated from my local store for the first couple weeks, then just the unmedicated after that.

 

[saellis]

How long does it take for a chick on medicated feed to build an immunity to cocci? I estimate that I will need to buy more feed before my chicks reach 8 weeks in age and I want to know if it would be safe to switch to non-medicated chick feed or stay with the medicated feed longer.

 

[pastryman]

I could give my children penicillin every day. Just as insurance. If they were exposed to dangerous bacteria and more. But the only thing I would do with this, would be to destroy their immune system, and make them forever dependent on medication.

Healthy food, clean water, fresh air, sunshine, space and a little cleaning if space is limited - is all they need. And in the long run, selection that is not only based on what we find beautiful and typical of standard.

 

[HandsomeRyan]

Companies just want to earn more. Lets face it, they have an interest in making animals less and less sustainable.

Can you cite why you believe this is true? In fact it is quite the opposite of this. The company who makes my chicken feed (Purina) absolutely has an interest in keeping my chickens healthy because I'll buy a lot less food if all my chickens die.

 

[ChickenGrit]

I use a bag of medicated just to get the little guys bigger and stronger, and then I switch to non-medicated.

 

[pastryman]

HandsomeRyan. I have never said that I believe, that companies has an interest in killing your chickens or making them sick.

But they have an interest in you buying something you don't need. And they have an interest in making you (your chickens) dependent of their product. There are more money in chickens eating their medicine and feed, than in chickens eating grass, dirt, weed, bugs and a little non-medicated feed. So they tell you nature is dangerous.

Like I said earlier. You cant buy medicated starter feed anymore here in Denmark. And it works great. Only risk of problems if chickens are living in very poor conditions. There are allways sideeffects from medicine.