Medicated Feed Question

[jenkassai]

I was reading the bag of medicated feed, and it says "As an aid in prevention of Coccidiosis where immunity to Coccidiosis is not desired." Don't we want the chicks to be immune to coccidiosis? Does feeding them medicated food prevent them from developing an immunity to it?

 

[gritsar]

What is it medicated with? It should say on the tag at the bottom of the bag.

 

[jenkassai]

It is medicated with Amprolium

 

[gritsar]

Well I've never heard its use phrased quite that way before. Amprolium is a very common medication for chick starter.

The idea of medicated starter is that it will keep the amount of cocci in the chicks gut in check, but not totally eradicate it. This gives the chicks own immune system time to mature and develop immunity. A body has to be exposed to something for the immune system to kick in.

When I brooder raised chicks, I fed them medicated feed with amprolium AND got them outside as soon as possible to be exposed. The amprolium being a sort of insurance against the coccidia overwhelming the chicks system and causing death.

Now that my broodies raise the chicks I no longer feed medicated. The chicks are slowly exposed to coccidia by walking in the adults birds droppings and being outside, so it's a gradual exposure. Does basically the same thing as feeding medicated chick starter.

 

[philbock]

Did you ever get an answer to this question? I read the same thing on the bag of medicated chick starter.

 

[enola]

Did you read the posts above yours?

 

[philbock]

Yes, I read the 4 posts above mine. The first one is the question and the next 3 don't answer the question.

 

[enola]

Reread the second paragraph of post #4. If that is not the answer, you should reask the question you want answered.

 

[philbock]

I was reading the bag of medicated feed, and it says "As an aid in prevention of Coccidiosis where immunity to Coccidiosis is not desired." Don't we want the chicks to be immune to coccidiosis? Does feeding them medicated food prevent them from developing an immunity to it?

 

[enola]

Medicated feed does NOT prevent coccidia. It hepls the chick develope an immunity to coccidia.

I can certainly understand how that statement confused you!

I don't use medicated feed for my chicks. I put clumps of grass with roots and soil in the brooder for natural immunity. If coccidia happens to occur then I get out the Corid. If a chick gets coccidia a second time, it gets culled.