Medicated or unmedicated chick feed

[Fallen Leaf Farm]

I have a broody sitting on 4 eggs. When

they hatch, do I feed them medicated feed like my feedstore chicks? Is that okay for the hen, since she'll be living with them?

 

[kitty928]

I don't think the medicated food would bother your hen, but be sure you don't eat any eggs that come from hens that are eating it or else you will be eating it too! What I like to do is make a contraption that the little ones can get into but moma hen cannot and place medicated food in that. Milk crates upside down with holes large enough for the chicks to slip in and out, laundry baskets with holes cut, or wire cages with wide openings work well, be creative. If mama hen gets a little it usually doesn't matter because she doesn't lay eggs when she is brooding chicks anyway.

 

[TrystInn]

Definitely feed them medicated feed, chicks are very vulnerable just out of the shell. Its fine for mamma, she's unlikely to be laying eggs the first month of the chicks' life, by the time they are big enough for regular feed, she'll need a week of a layer pellet before you'll want to eat those eggs.

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

I don't feed my home hatched chicks medicated feed, but I think its a personal choice. I feed it to any chicks I bring in from other places. My broodies hatch their chicks in the coop with the rest of the flock, so everyone gets gamebird feed. This way I know my layers aren't getting into the medicated feed. Good luck with whatever decision you make!

 

[gritsar]

Brooder raised chicks I feed medicated feed. Broody raised chicks I do not. They eat flockraiser along with the rest of the birds. I read somewhere that being in the coop, with the broody and other adult birds, the chicks are gradually exposed to coccidiosis in the droppings of the adult birds. The slight exposure gives them a chance to develop an immunity, just as the adults did.

Haven't had a problem with cocci yet.

 

[Fallen Leaf Farm]

Thanks for the info. I saved a little of the medicated feed from the last group of feed store chicks, just in case these babies hatch. Guess I will feed them that (will probably only last a week with mama sharing) and then switch them over to the flock rasier. Appreciate the help!

 

[LadiesMan017]

I got my chicks when they were only a few days old, but now are 16 WEEKS OLD! I have always fed them starter/grower feed that is medicated. And have recently introduced oyster cells to them.

I know its alittle early to think about this, but when I do have eggs, and later want to hatch them and use a broody hen (probably my Silkie, since they are good at it), and have them sectioned off from the rest of the flock. I would feed them starter/grower feed medicated right? And then when i remove the chicks and put them in there own coop (brooder), continue to feed them the medicated, and the hen will continue to eat laying feed.

Isn't this how you do it?

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
At 16 weeks old, your hens are ready for layer feed. No need to continue them on medicated feed at that age and you don't want your first eggs to be medicated. The most common medication - amprolium - isn't a problem for most people, but it can be for someone with severe allergies, esp. to sulfur drugs.

You could feed a broody mom and her chicks medicated feed until they return to the main flock, but why would you want to remove the chicks from the hen? I promise you that a hen can do a much better job of raising chicks than a human ever could.