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

[Fridasmum]

Hi everyone.

I'm very excited about getting my peeps (chicks) in 2-wks, but I have been debating with myself about whether to buy organic feed or medicated feed to help build up each chick's immune system.

Since people say that "hindsight is 20/20" I would really appreciate hearing from people who started chicks (pullets by now) on organic and/or medicated chick feed to get your thoughts on the following:

• Would you make the same feed decision (organic vs. medicated) after the experience?
• If you have tried both organic and medicated feed for chicks, did you see that chicks grew up stronger/healthier as a result of using either type of feed?
• What brand(s) of chick feed did you use?

Look forward to hearing from you.

Best,
Fridasmom

P.S. I decided to have the chicks vaccinated for Mareks

 

[cafarmgirl]

Hi and welcome to BYC!

I have chosen for years to raise chicks on medicated (Amprolium, NOT antibiotic's) chick starter and I always will. The reason for that is because I have witnessed the suffering and death brought on by coccidiosis and I want my chicks to have as much protection from it as possible. For me personally it's just not worth the risk since they often hide their illness until they are very sick. By that time it can be hard to save them.

I have never fed an organic feed so I cannot compare the two. I usually feed Purina or Nutrena and my hens have always been excellent layers. They also have access to to pasture and forage every day as well.

Good luck with your new babies! We have a little batch of peeps coming as well next week.

 

[debid]

I used non-medicated with my first chick batch. This was mainly because I live in a place where I know for certain there have been no chickens on the property for a minimum of 10 years. I was diligent about cleaning, used watering nipples so their brooder was very dry, introduced them gradually to the soil, etc. There were no losses. Now that I have adults around, I'd likely use a feed with Amprolium to give them some time to build their resistance.

 

[Going Quackers]

I chose a flock raiser due to the small number of birds i had(well chickens anyways) I also mainly shop an organic feed mill. Now i should add i have lived here for 20yrs and these are the first chickens to the farm, ducks were here before(all mine though)

My flock raiser is by Purina, it's an all vegetable based product. I don't free range, they have a pen that was only used for the ducks before(and well dogs at one point lol)

I don't think there is a one size fits all answer... i read plenty and have heard of loses using both methods(vaxed/medicated feeds/ vs non etc) so it truly is a personal choice.

 

[Fridasmum]

Hi everyone.

I'm very excited about getting my peeps (chicks) in 2-wks, but I have been debating with myself about whether to buy organic feed or medicated feed to help build up each chick's immune system.

Since people say that "hindsight is 20/20" I would really appreciate hearing from people who started chicks (pullets by now) on organic and/or medicated chick feed to get your thoughts on the following:

• Would you make the same feed decision (organic vs. medicated) after the experience?
• If you have tried both organic and medicated feed for chicks, did you see that chicks grew up stronger/healthier as a result of using either type of feed?
• What brand(s) of chick feed did you use?

Look forward to hearing from you.

Best,
Fridasmom

P.S. I decided to have the chicks vaccinated for Mareks

Thanks for sharing your experience and the reason for using medicated feed. It seems that for the sake of the chicks I will use medicated chick starter too. Knowing myself, my heart would break to see a critter suffer from coccidiosis or any other disease - I found a feed store out here in Glendale, CA that sells feed with Amprolium.

Aspiring farmer with a colony of bees, syrupy sweet dog, and (future mama hen) to a Barred Rock, Blue Andalusian, Rhode Island Red, and Cuckoo Marans

 

[Fridasmum]

I used non-medicated with my first chick batch. This was mainly because I live in a place where I know for certain there have been no chickens on the property for a minimum of 10 years. I was diligent about cleaning, used watering nipples so their brooder was very dry, introduced them gradually to the soil, etc. There were no losses. Now that I have adults around, I'd likely use a feed with Amprolium to give them some time to build their resistance.

Starting chicks off w/organic feed then adding an Amprolium feed for adult chickens is a good idea! Glad your method has worked and you have healthy chickens.

 

[cafarmgirl]

Starting chicks off w/organic feed then adding an Amprolium feed for adult chickens is a good idea! Glad your method has worked and you have healthy chickens.

Not to speak for someone else but what I got from debid's post was that she would start future chicks on medicated starter due to the presence of other chickens on the property now.

You won't protect the chicks by starting organic and then using medicated for adult chickens. They need to have that protection while they are babies since that is when they are in the process of building their own immunity.

 

[debid]

Not to speak for someone else but what I got from debid's post was that she would start future chicks on medicated starter due to the presence of other chickens on the property now.

You won't protect the chicks by starting organic and then using medicated for adult chickens. They need to have that protection while they are babies since that is when they are in the process of building their own immunity.

Exactly. The older ones should be resistant by now and could be passing cocci in their droppings without a sign of the illness. I'd want to put the new chicks close to the hens as soon as possible to start familiarizing the two groups but would worry for the little ones that they might be exposed to too much, too soon.

 

[EricaD]

I started mine on medicated feed, then switched them to organic and they've all been healthy (20 in my flock)! I can't see any harm in using medicated feed early on to protect them - I imagine it would all be out of their systems by the time they're laying or become dinner. I felt it was better safe than sorry.

 

[clogan98]

I did medicated as chicks then organic after. I feel much better knowing they had that protection.