How long to use medicated chick feed?

[KRack]

I think I decided on using medicated chick feed for if/when the eggs under my hen, hatch. How long do I use medicated feed, and do I switch to normal layer crumbles after that?

 

[Battlepants]

I usually just get one bag of medicated starter. From that point, switching to flockraiser (might be called all flock depending on brand), then only switch to layer once they are actually laying.

It's best to avoid layer feed for non-layers as that gives them too much calcium and can cause various issues with them later in life.

As for crumbles vs pellets - I always start on crumbles but tend to go to pellets once they are outside and scratching. When they have a proper amount of grit in their system, they can handle the pellets.

 

[KRack]

I usually just get one bag of medicated starter. From that point, switching to flockraiser (might be called all flock depending on brand), then only switch to layer once they are actually laying.

It's best to avoid layer feed for non-layers as that gives them too much calcium and can cause various issues with them later in life.

As for crumbles vs pellets - I always start on crumbles but tend to go to pellets once they are outside and scratching. When they have a proper amount of grit in their system, they can handle the pellets.

Thank you!

 

[Wolf River]

Glad l found the answer to this question. Long story short, Chicks l ended up getting were not vaccinated. I bought a bag of non medicated feed weeks beforehand. Had to get a bag of medicated that is just about gone. Didnt want to throw out a $20.00 plus bag of feed. (I had originally ordered vaccinated chicks from McMurray and we know what happened at their facility)

 

[Mrs J]

Glad l found the answer to this question. Long story short, Chicks l ended up getting were not vaccinated. I bought a bag of non medicated feed weeks beforehand. Had to get a bag of medicated that is just about gone. Didnt want to throw out a $20.00 plus bag of feed. (I had originally ordered vaccinated chicks from McMurray and we know what happened at their facility)

I used medicated chick starter at first, until @azygous recommended just throwing a lump of soil in, it worked.

 

[KRack]

I used medicated chick starter at first, until @azygous recommended just throwing a lump of soil in, it worked.

Like, soil from your yard? How's that work?! I'm intrigued.

 

[Im Old Rooster]

Glad l found the answer to this question. Long story short, Chicks l ended up getting were not vaccinated. I bought a bag of non medicated feed weeks beforehand. Had to get a bag of medicated that is just about gone. Didnt want to throw out a $20.00 plus bag of feed. (I had originally ordered vaccinated chicks from McMurray and we know what happened at their facility)

 

[Im Old Rooster]

Glad l found the answer to this question. Long story short, Chicks l ended up getting were not vaccinated. I bought a bag of non medicated feed weeks beforehand. Had to get a bag of medicated that is just about gone. Didnt want to throw out a $20.00 plus bag of feed. (I had originally ordered vaccinated chicks from McMurray and we know what happened at their facility)

What is the bird in picture? We bought two at a feed store one yellow and a black one. The black one is now around 8 weeks and looks just like your picture. Also what happened at Mcmurry

 

[Mrs J]

Yes, if you have kept chickens or previous ppl have, that will be in your environment, and the chick will build up a tolerance to it, that’s my understanding of it, so I haven’t used medicated crumbs this time around. Maybe @azygous can explain it better.

 

[azygous]

Local soil contains local pathogens, both good and bad ones. Your adult chickens have become resistant to the bad ones by being exposed to them over their lives, and the good pathogens live happily and productively in their guts.

Baby chicks can also build resistance to these bad pathogens by being exposed to them during the first couple of weeks when their immune systems are developing immunities to many things, just as human infants are gradually exposed to germs and developing resistance. And the good pathogens will install themselves in the baby guts, providing good intestinal health.

Bringing in a clump of living sod from your yard and given to the chicks to play with will expose them to very small amounts of good and bad pathogens and they will build up their immune systems from this exposure. There is even a very mild form of Marek's in the soil where there are local populations of wild turkeys that can confer some resistance to the chicken form of Marek's.

This is why many of us simply do not bother with medicated feed. It's benefits are overblown. There is also the fact that the medicated feed discourages the absorption of thiamine, a very crucial B-vitamin for new chicks. Chicks should be receiving the full benefit of all the nutrients in their feed as they are developing so rapidly. A deficiency can be quite problematic and many of us feel the risk isn't worth it.