Medicated Feed For Layers?

[tulie13]

My friend has concerns about her laying hens + younger chicks and feeding. The younger chicks are on Medicated Starter Feed with Amprolium to help fight coccidiosis. When she does mix all of the chickens together, what should she put out for food?

Should she keep the chicks on the starter, and let the layers eat starter for a little while? Or move the chicks up to laying crumbles early? Or does she need to find a way to segregate them for longer, and have each age group eat the "right" food? The chicks are 6 weeks old, and she's looking at "integrating" them in a week or so.

Also, if the laying hens eat the medicated starter (Amprolium), does that affect the safety of the eggs for human consumption? Based on the way Amprolium works, I would think not, but I'm just guessing...

 

[TheBuff]

Chicks at 6 weeks are ok to move up to non mediciated feed. When born they need mediciated feed, that's when they are most vulnerable to catch something.

 

[silkiechicken]

As the OP stated, amprolium is only for cocci and will only help build immunities to the cocci protozoa, no more, no less.

By the time the chicks are with the hens, they will likly already have immunities to the cocci in your area so won't need the meds. But if the meds were eaten by adults, and it was only amprolium, won't do a thing. Sulfa based drugs can be an issue IF you were allergic to the sulfa drugs.