I am confused about medicated starter.

[7&8]

The "medicated" chick starter I feed, a Blue Seal product, contains Amprolium. I feed this to the chicks for eight weeks. At seven weeks, I begin introducing (the feed I use is Blue Seal) "Game Bird" crumbles into the chick starter. At eight weeks, the chicks will be completely on game bird crumbles, which they will get until the pullets lay their first eggs. Game Bird or Grower-Cal, both Blue Seal products, are nutritionally formulated for growing birds.

I recently attended a poultry seminar where the speaker, Mike Darre from UConn, said that cocci is present in all soil, it's just a matter of to what degree it is. This means if you walk across your yard and enter the coop, you carry cocci into the coop. At the same seminar, a speaker from a local organic farmer's association did not at all support the feeding of Amprolium medicated feed to chicks; no surprise there. It's your choice.

Our local organic farmer's association does not take issue with vaccinating one day old chicks with Marek's vaccine - here, you can vaccinate chicks for Marek's and still have them certified organic.

I feed my flock based on info from experienced poultry breeders, reading University/ Cooperative Extension literature, and admittedly, trial and error.

Who knew there was so much to poultry nutrition?

Good luck in your learning/ decision process, and good for you for thinking about what your'e feeding your birds!

 

[Chris09]

I have been trying to help my chicks develop a natural immunity by gradual exposure to the outside, starting at 10 days old (to allow their vaccinations to take effect). The medicated feed will help prevent the chicks from getting overwhelmed by cocci if they are exposed. If they never leave the brooder, they are not exposed, and you are unnecessarily medicating your chicks.

If the chicks get cocci, the medicated feed will not TREAT the infection, either.

If your chicks have been vaccinated for Marek's, they should not have exposure to anywhere that chickens or wild birds that may be carriers for Marek's have been (basically anywhere outside) for 10 days to allow their antibodies to respond to the vaccine.

So basically, if your chicks are vaccinated, and you want to feed medicated feed, you shouldn't take them outside for 10 days and you will need to feed the medicated food until after they have been outside for it to be effective.

Hope that helps!!

It depends on the type of Medication and the amount of Medication that is used in the feed weather or not the feed will treat for cocci or not.
Amprolium (Corid) is used in most of the better feeds, Corid is used as a prevention and treatment of coccidiosis.

Since Corid mimics thiamin (B1) (a much needed vitamin for the cocci to survive) the cocci ingest the corid and die from malnutrition.


Chris

 

[Beekissed]

Cocci is not only in your soils but it is already present in your chicks bowels, as it is in our own. The problem with cocci is when it has an overgrowth. Amprollium inhibits the growth of cocci....so does unpasteurized ACV.

Amprollium also inhibits thiamine and by doing so removes the energy source of the cocci, slowing it's growth.

Thiamine helps to metabolize carbohydrates so that a body can use them for energy. It keeps the heart, muscles and nervous system functioning properly by maintaining the flow of electrolytes. Another function of thiamine is to produce hydrochloric acid, which is found in the stomach and is necessary to digest the food. Thiamine is essential for nerve tissue health and overall general health.

UP/ACV does not inhibit thiamine.

What can cause an overgrowth of cocci? Antibiotic usage, concentrated cocci bacteria in the stools, soils, and bedding of the chicken housing, a decrease in good bacteria and cultures in the bowels and environment , prolonged diarrhea, etc.

Not only does UP/ACV inhibit the growth of cocci, but does the same for salmonella, e.coli and botulism. It can increase the healthy cultures in the bowel, increases the formation of intestinal villi that absorb the nutrients in the food and it can increase egg laying.

But..sure...use the medicated starter feeds...they are so healthy and all.

​

 

[Aeropennchick]

Hey thanks for this - I was told that the brand at my TSC would only prevent, not treat. If my gradual exposure method doesn't work for my current batch, i just might try to order a different brand for my next bunch of chicks! We are using an electrolyte mix in the water now and plan on switching to ACV when we move them to the coop, with regular chick crumbles, and so far everyone is healthy and growing like weeds

It depends on the type of Medication and the amount of Medication that is used in the feed weather or not the feed will treat for cocci or not.
Amprolium (Corid) is used in most of the better feeds, Corid is used as a prevention and treatment of coccidiosis.

Since Corid mimics thiamin (B1) (a much needed vitamin for the cocci to survive) the cocci ingest the corid and die from malnutrition.


Chris

 

[fr27davis]

more then enough!

 

[coolcanoechic]

Wow,
I am finding all this information really interesting.
I just picked up my babies on Friday and when I got home, I put them on electrolytes since they seemed really stressed from the ride home. The breeder said that the four bigger ones were 3 weeks old and the smaller ones were 1 week old. He said he had not vaccinated any of the birds. I have been feeding them the medicated crumbles, but had no idea how long to feed it for. The person in the Tractor Supply store seemed knowledgable and told me one week. I said ok and got a bag of regular crumbles to use when they finish the medicated stuff. Now that I know they should go longer than a week, I will get more of the medicated stuff and keep them on it for a few more weeks. I have been introducing them to my garden dirt with a pan in the brooder filled with the stuff. This may expose them to the bacteria, but I think it will do no harm. Perhaps it will help build immunity. They discovered dust bathing in it and have been eating it as well. I'm guessing that the eating part is natural. So far, they seem fine and running around like maniacs. I wish I had their energy

I change out the pan frequently to keep it free of poop.
Btw....This is my very first time ever with chicks and I have no experience with the young ones, so even though I have only had them for a few days, it has been a wonderful learning experience. Thanks to everyone for sharing their wisdom so I may have happy healthy birds.

 

[shadetech]

Cocci is not only in your soils but it is already present in your chicks bowels, as it is in our own. The problem with cocci is when it has an overgrowth. Amprollium inhibits the growth of cocci....so does unpasteurized ACV.

Amprollium also inhibits thiamine and by doing so removes the energy source of the cocci, slowing it's growth.

Thiamine helps to metabolize carbohydrates so that a body can use them for energy. It keeps the heart, muscles and nervous system functioning properly by maintaining the flow of electrolytes. Another function of thiamine is to produce hydrochloric acid, which is found in the stomach and is necessary to digest the food. Thiamine is essential for nerve tissue health and overall general health.

UP/ACV does not inhibit thiamine.

What can cause an overgrowth of cocci? Antibiotic usage, concentrated cocci bacteria in the stools, soils, and bedding of the chicken housing, a decrease in good bacteria and cultures in the bowels and environment , prolonged diarrhea, etc.

Not only does UP/ACV inhibit the growth of cocci, but does the same for salmonella, e.coli and botulism. It can increase the healthy cultures in the bowel, increases the formation of intestinal villi that absorb the nutrients in the food and it can increase egg laying.

But..sure...use the medicated starter feeds...they are so healthy and all.

​

​

Hey Bee, I'm not sure anybody read this sooooooo.....

You mean something as simple as homemade vinegar will help my birds MORE than some drug, that modern PHARMA has spent millions to develop, without the side effects and not inhibit the absorption of necessary nutrients? And UP/ACV increases intestinal villi too?

henry

 

[WI FarmChick]

Cocci is not only in your soils but it is already present in your chicks bowels, as it is in our own. The problem with cocci is when it has an overgrowth. Amprollium inhibits the growth of cocci....so does unpasteurized ACV.

Amprollium also inhibits thiamine and by doing so removes the energy source of the cocci, slowing it's growth.

Thiamine helps to metabolize carbohydrates so that a body can use them for energy. It keeps the heart, muscles and nervous system functioning properly by maintaining the flow of electrolytes. Another function of thiamine is to produce hydrochloric acid, which is found in the stomach and is necessary to digest the food. Thiamine is essential for nerve tissue health and overall general health.

UP/ACV does not inhibit thiamine.

What can cause an overgrowth of cocci? Antibiotic usage, concentrated cocci bacteria in the stools, soils, and bedding of the chicken housing, a decrease in good bacteria and cultures in the bowels and environment , prolonged diarrhea, etc.

Not only does UP/ACV inhibit the growth of cocci, but does the same for salmonella, e.coli and botulism. It can increase the healthy cultures in the bowel, increases the formation of intestinal villi that absorb the nutrients in the food and it can increase egg laying.

But..sure...use the medicated starter feeds...they are so healthy and all.

​

​

 

[Albanese07]

I'm using Purina Start n Grow Medicated for the bags recommended 18-20 weeks than switching to Purina Layena. Seems like the simplistic way to do it!

 

[Chris09]

Quote:

Hey Bee, I'm not sure anybody read this sooooooo.....

You mean something as simple as homemade vinegar will help my birds MORE than some drug, that modern PHARMA has spent millions to develop, without the side effects and not inhibit the absorption of necessary nutrients? And UP/ACV increases intestinal villi too?

henry

I wouldn't bet the farm on it, I have seen on more that one occasion where livestock had a overabundance of Cocci in there body even after being on ACV.
IMO, ACV and DE are much the same in that people claim they 'cure' a lot but in reality they 'cure' very little.
I think I'll stick with products that have the facts to back them up.

I wouldn't say ACV doesn't have side effects because ACV does in fact have some side effects, in humans and some animals there have been cases where the ACV has damaged the enamel of teeth, had effects on the throat lining, affected how some prescription drugs work in the body, ACV lowers potassium, etc.


Chris