I am confused about medicated starter.

[coolcanoechic]

After reading a few threads here and receiving advice from the helper at Tractor Supply, I have absolutely no idea how long chicks should get medicated feed before switching to regular chick crumbles.
Can someone clarify?
Tractor Supply says one week.
Thanks!

 

[Beekissed]

They don't even have to have medicated feeds~really not necessary. If you are going to feed medicated, then one bag of chick starter should be enough unless you have many chicks and they go through it quickly. Then you can put them on general flock crumbles/mash.

 

[coolcanoechic]

I have 8 chicks. Is one bag enough? Most of it ends up on the floor of the brooder.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Try feeding them on a card board lid, off a box. Say, 12x20 roughly in size. Until the chicks are a month older or so, they mostly waste feed. Feeding them on a box lid keeps an amazing amount of feed captured and thus, eaten.

 

[Lute]

How big is your bag?

I still have a bag from my 13 growing up. I moved on to a grower because I was given an open bag of it and I figured I'd be hatching eggs (they're in the incubator) so I'd finish the bag off with the new babies.

Most people pick up a 50lb bag and keep feeding it to their chicks until the bag runs out. Then they move on to something else. (This is what I plan to do)

 

[coolcanoechic]

That is a very good point. The bag weighs 5 lbs. It is made by MannaPro. I did put a pan under it to capture the stuff they throw out and it helped, but it gets messy with poop rather quickly and I'm pretty sure we want to keep that out of their food. I found a feeder today that works much better. They have not been able to kick any of it out so far.

 

[cafarmgirl]

Chicks are suspectible to coccidiosis until they are around 17 weeks old or so, so feeding medicated chick starter for one week won't accomplish much IMHO.

I feed the medicated chick starter until they are around 18 weeks old. Then just switch over to layer. Some folk's switch earlier to a flock raiser type feed. I like them to keep getting the little bit of added protection Amprolium provides from coccidiosis until they are past the most suseptible age, have moved to their pen outside where they get good exposure to it and build good immunity.

 

[NorthernMama]

Our UFA doesnt sell the medicated stuff just the 20% Starter feed in a big 25kg bag.

 

[Aeropennchick]

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!!

 

[coolcanoechic]

Yes, it does help. At what age should they be vaccinated for Merek's? I seem to have plenty of time before bringing them outdoors. The weather has been chilly and cool around here, and the brooder is big enough to hold them for a few weeks.
They will be integrated into a coop with two adult hens and I'm in the process of building a separate coop in the existing run to keep them separated until they get used to each other, and even though I keep the run and coop very clean and dry, I don't want to risk getting the babies sick from any exposure to anything.

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!!