medicated feed ???

[tigercreek]

How long should chicks stay on medicated feed? I was told that it was only necessary to feed one bag of it, but if they don't go on the ground till 6 weeks, do they need it till then, or does the imunity last well past the initial feeding? Mine will go thru a single 25 pound bag in a couple weeks. .......stan

 

[AlienChick]

I only feed mine medicated chick starter (Manna Pro) when I first get them, and when the bag is all done (about 2 weeks), I switch to the non-medicated chick starter.

 

[tigercreek]

Thanks for the reply. So when do you put them on the ground where they are exposed to natural cocci??
Quote:

 

[D'Angelo N Va.]

I feed medicated from the time they are born until I put them on starter and grower at about 15-16 weeks. The starter and Grower I use is medicated..

 

[Fred's Hens]

My feeling is this. When they hit the ground is when they need it most. There's little point in feeding the blocker when they are safe within their brooder and not exposed. When they hit the ground is when they need it the protection, imho.

 

[IslandChiks]

I did not ever feed my chicks medicated feed. I read that the medicated feed will ruin the vaccine for coccidiosis and Marek's disease and my chicks had these vaccines. My chicks are almost 11 weeks old and are big, beautiful and healthy so I'm not sure they need it. However if a lot of chicks are confined to a small coop the medicated feed may be useful. My chicks are never cooped, they just run free all the time and hang out on the front porch at night. Do you think I am doing the right thing? They seem so happy and healthy.

 

[tigercreek]

Island chicks,
Sure, if your chicks were vaccinated for cocci, you should NOT feed medicated. Mine will not be vaccinated, they are my own hatch. Medicated feed is for cocci only, not marek's as I understand it. .........stan

 

[D'Angelo N Va.]

This is true...only a vaccination will help with Marek's disease...

 

[speckledhen]

Feed medicated against coccidiosis can be fed right up until laying age. The combination starter/grower feeds are made for that, whether medicated or not. There is no plain grower feed around here so that's what they get till they are old enough to go to the main coop with the flock at between 13-18 weeks old.

Medication in feed has nothing to do with Mareks. It's a thiamine blocker that starves out the oocysts that cause cocci.

 

[Chris09]

You can feed a Medicated feed up until the first egg but some people feed it till the chicks have been on the ground for about 2 weeks or so.

Most feed Co.'s will use one of two types of medications as a active ingredient in there medicated poultry feed one type is Amprolium which goes by the trade names Corid and Amprol and is a thiamine analog, competitively inhibits the active transport of thiamine (B1).
The second type of medication used is Lasalocid and goes by the trade name Bovatec. Bovatec (lasalocid) is a coccidiocide that kills coccidia. It is an ionophore that moves potassium, sodium, calcium and magnesium into the cell causing the cell to burst. Bovatec works primarily on a single developmental stage of coccidia, providing a more narrow range of action than Deccox.

Amprolium has a 24 hour withdrawal before slaughter and for Lasalocid there is no withdrawal is required because Lasalocid is confined to the alimentary canal of the bird.

Chris