Help- Ducks & Chicks & Medicated feed??

[SportTees]

I have chicks in my brooder that are eating co-op brand medicated starter-grower. I picked up some baby ducks tonight from TSC on impulse and have no were to put them but in with the chicks. Will the medicated feed hurt them tonight?? Normally I feed them non-medicated but this is my only option tonight.

The medicated ingredient is Bacitracin methylene disalicylate 50g/ton

 

[ThreeBoysChicks]

I feed medicated chick starter to my ducks and geese.

 

[SportTees]

Do you no if its the same medication in it? I heard some med's will kill ducks

 

[streemers]

med-starter isnt a good idea. i would give them adult feed before i did medicated

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

Medicated chick feed can kill your ducklings. Unfortunately, I learned this from experience. I would remove the feed and get some non-medicated if you can.

 

[nettie]

medicated feeds can stop the absorbtion of certain viatmins/nutrients in ducklings, esp B vitamins and can cause ciesures/death. The problem is they eat way more than chicks and they overdose on the medication. Some people have been lucky and have given ducks medicated feed, thoough if you talk to most duck owners, it is a BIG no no. It's risky, and why risk the lives of your new baby duckies. Ive had a duckling die this way and it's incredibly tramatic. It's a violent and seemily painful death for the poor little thing. I'd get them their own unmedicated feed asap.

 

[crazy cat lady]

I had chick starter for my chicks a few years ago and that was okay then (it was medicated), but when we ordered our hatcherychoice ducks (pekins) we were told not to give them medicated so we bought the unmedicated and we brooded the ducklings in a kiddie pool so that way we never gave the ducklings the wrong starter feed. Since then whenever we have gotten baby chicks and ducks they got the unmedicated starter feed and the chicks have done real good without the medication.

 

[xfilesnumber1fan]

Medicated feeds WILL kill the ducklings....

 

[SportTees]

I went out there first thing today and got the feed away from them and replaced it with corn. Tommarrow I will go to TSC and get the non medicated feed for them. I normally don't feed anything medicated feed but my DH got the wrong feed for my chicks so that was all I had.

Edit- What they got last night shouldn't hurt them should it because they are acting fine??

 

[Tailfeathers]

Yes, do NOT feed medicated feed to ducklings.

You're better off feeding them adult food for a day if you have to but you can also feed them eggs. Surely you have some of those around? I can't remember for sure but I think oatmeal and maybe even a little cooked rice if I remember right.

God Bless,