medicated feed?

[southernsibe]

I have silky chicks that just hatched and no medicated feed. The chicks are about three days old and have had Purina Start and Grow. My problem is that I have turkeys that have always been with my chickens. So far these chicks are isolated inside with no contact, but I want them to run together eventually like all the others. I suppose my question is that if I get medicated feed now, will it eliminate the chances of them passing blackhead to the turkeys?
thanks
Rachel

 

[silkiechicken]

Medicated feed is only medicated as part of the regimine to prevent cocci in the chickens. Black head is a disease that your young just hatch chicks cannot have as it is not transmitted in the egg. Don't worry about it, as medicatoin is for the good of the chicks, not the turkeys, and many a chick have done fine without medicated feed. I like to slowly introduce dirt from outside to the chicks early on though, to help build natural immunities to the cocci that is in your geographic area if any.

 

[Henrietta23]

I keep reading that if you only have a small number of chicks you should do okay with regular feed as long as you keep the brooder clean. Is this true in your opinoins?

 

[southernsibe]

I let these guys hatch under the hen. The area they are in is kept rather clean since it is in my garage, and the smell will come into the house if I don't keep up with it. Broody hen poop is by far one of the worse smells I have ever had to clean!

So if my chickens don't have the disease, they won't transmit despite the medicated feed. Thank you for clarifying this I appreciate it.
Rachel