Is medicated feed necessary for chicks?

[SusanME]

Chicken newbie here! I just took home a dozen Rhode Island Reds, hatched last Wednesday. I expected to get medicated feed, but the very small feed store that sold me the birds doesn't carry it. He said nobody wants it here, since it isn't "natural."
I'm perfectly happy to give my chicks something that isn't "natural" if it will protect their overall health. At this point, they've been on Blue Seal Backyard Basics starter here at home since I took them home on Friday. If it seems like the right thing to do, I will drive into town to get medicated feed tomorrow.
All thoughts & advice are appreciated!

 

[sunshine ducky]

Hi, in my knowledge medicated chick feed is for chicks that are going through an illness of some sort. If you feed the medicated chick feed to the chicks it wont hurt them in any way. However, if you do have the option to buy regular organic feed I would defiantly go with that option. To give you a perspective, would you take medicine even though you are perfectly fine and also on a regular basis? This is why many poultry raiser's frown upon medicated chick starter. You may not see any negative side affects from the chicks eating it now but you'll never know if it affects their bodies down the line.

 

[GC-Raptor]

I feed Medicated Start and Grow feed for the first 10 weeks. Then when bag is empty I switch to a Non-Medicated Starter-Grower.

Here's some information from Nutrena.

.GC
ETA; If you paid extra to vaccinate chicks for Coccidiosis, do not feed Medicated.

 

[SusanME]

I feed Medicated Start and Grow feed for the first 10 weeks. Then when bag is empty I switch to a Non-Medicated Starter-Grower.

Thanks, that's very helpful! I'm pretty sure they aren't vaccinated. I'll see if I can get into town for some medicated feed!

 

[rosemarythyme]

GC-Raptor explained very well how medicated feed works. It's up to you if you want to use it. I don't use medicated feed but I do keep Corid on hand to treat for coccidiosis so that's another way to approach it.