Hindsight is 20-20: Organic versus medicated chick feed.

[chickencoop789]

I am using non-medicated feed right now and had no problems...but it is my first time using it. There have never been any chickens on the property. I change the water 2x a day, change the bedding every day, sanitize the feeders and waterers once a week, and clean the brooder every 3 weeks...so I really dont have any reason to use medicated feed. I chose the non-medicated feed because I wanted to be organic but I vaccinated the chicks for marreks disease...so I guess thats not really organic...right?

 

[heatherkh]

The first time we hatched out (1 broody momma, 7 chicks hatched) I used Payback Organic chick starter. We did lose two chicks, but neither to cocci - one fell out of the nest box before we had secured it and died from being chilled, and the other had pasty butt/failure to thrive. The rest were just fine.

This time (2 broody mommas, 7 chicks for one, 4 for the other) I used a medicated chick starter from a local mill. All chicks survived and are super healthy, feathered out quickly, just seem for the most part to be more robust than the last time around. As we've integrated the flocks, I have them all on a generic flock crumble until they are ready to go on layer feed.

I've actually stopped going organic overall (used to use payback Organic feeds exclusively) in favor of layer pellets from a local mill (Union Mills in Mulino, for those of you in NW Oregon). I am absolutely going to use the local medicated feed next time around.

 

[Fridasmum]

I'm really looking forward to the arrival of the chicks next week!

Thank you all who responded to my original post. Everything I've read and your experiences have kept me from stressing out

. I ended up buying chick starter mash with Amprolium last night.

Next on my to do list is to get the chick nursery (the master bathroom) ready for their arrival.

Wish me luck with the little peeps.

 

[PDXcluck]

We used medicated starter and then switched to Organic and I would do the same again for sure. Even with the medicated started one of our chicks got what I presume was coccidiosis. I treated with corid and she got better so I assume it was a low grade, non-fatal cocci infection held in check by the medicated starter. More info here if interested: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/657539/cocci

We live in the city and have no reason to believe there had been other chickens on our property for well over 10 years if not much longer (but it was old farmland prior to development in the 1950's). I say go medicated at first and then switch!

Best of luck!

 

[Erica]

I use a combination of soured milk and careful management to make sure my chicks don't get cocci. Graduated exposure is the key, starting from day one in the brooder (with a handful of healthy hen pen soil).

People sometimes see cocci even with medicated feed, so relying on medication alone, without graduated exposure, isn't 100% foolproof.

best wishes
Erica

 

[Hamletchick]

I am in NW Oregon and I am looking for recommendations on Union Mills because the guy I have been buying my feed from is not ordering Chicken feed anymore (Heinold which I think is from the mid west). I don't want organic if I can get a good quality local feed. I have a small feed store near my home that sells Union Mills. Are you using their layer formula?

 

[lazy gardener]

I've used non medicated feed b/c I've heard that Amprolium interferes with Thiamine absorption. Coccidiosis is in all soils. IMO, my chicks need to build immunity to the strains in my soil. Therefore, I plan to continue working on their immunity by giving them probiotics, ACV, and gradual exposure to soil organisms.