medicated feed or not

[the simple life]

What is the consensus on feeding chicks medicated feed?
What are the risks of not using medicated feed in order to raise them organically?

 

[Josie]

I think people have had good experiences either way. I get the overall impression that the more chickies you have, the more reasons to use medicated because sanitation and the potential losses are greater. I think that if you have adult chickens, the little ones are a bit more "at risk". I have used both, and honestly I have not had a bad experience one way or the other.

 

[dfunnyfarm]

I feed medicated only because I can't find any other.

 

[MissPrissy]

I don't feed medicated. I let them build a natural immune system.

 

[pattycake]

I feed medicated starter because I'm paranoid. I love the idea of going pure organic, but I'm afraid of kicking myself if they get sick.

With my first lot I think I switched to organic chicker grower at 12 weeks.

 

[greyfields]

I do not use medicated feeds, period.

However, I do lose hens and broilers to coccidiossis which could have been prevented using medicated feed. It's a decision we made.

The only sustinable solution, in the long run, is to let sick animals die and then breed the ones who were unaffected by the coccidiossis. They then past their natural resitance along to their offspring and I'll have a more vigorous flock in the long run.

But, it's hard love. It's never good to find a dead chicken... but if I were to bring in day old chicks every year as replacements the cycle would just continue on ad nauseum.

[edit] Let me add, I do treat my goat kids with Albon, since they are not intended as meat animals. So when I say I don't use medicated feeds, I do not. BUt I do treat the goats. The lambs I only treat if they actually get sick and I verify cocci through a fecal. I'll then market them separate from my "antibiotic free" meats.

 

[the simple life]

Greyfields,. thank you for the information if I may ask another question,
If the chicken is sick and we don't realize it yet and it is still laying eggs are these affected or will they not lay when they are sick?
I too have not medicated my chicks and wanted to make sure I am doing the right thing.We are not raising them for meat but for the eggs but I still want to do it organically.Thank you for the help.

 

[greyfields]

Quote:
I cannot think of a single disease or illness you could get from eating an egg from a sick hen. If anyone can think of one (from the egg, not from breathing in droppings or anything) then post it here. I'm drawing a blank.

I would also assume several things:

a) A sick hen probably will not lay an egg anyhow.

b) The medication in feeds is a low level antibiotic which is used to get the birds mainly through the first 4-6 months of life when Cocciodiossis hits them hardest. By the time a hen is of laying age, she'll already be over that hump and will be generally immune to most diseases they could get which the coccidiostat prevented.

 

[the simple life]

All of this info is much appreciated!!!!
Now, I know that some people say giving cracked corn in the winter helps to keep them warm by raising their internal temperatures but with all the genetically modified corn out there is there somewhere you can get organic?
Or is non gm corn not considered organic anyway. I am not sure what it takes to be considered organic in that situation.Maybe they consider organic just to be pesticide and antibiotic free.I still don't like gm foods though and avoid them at all costs (at least when we know about it) and would like to keep from feeding the chickens that as well since we will be eating their eggs.

 

[silkiechicken]

Probably depends on the definition of GM modified. All out food we eat is GM from it's ancestors though selective breeding. I swear rules and regulations on stuff and definitions never end up making any sense in the end.