Medicated or Unmedicated Feed for Chicks? (NEW)

[marybogue]

Hello! I am new to raising chicks. I bought two golden comets with the hope they will eventually lay eggs for me. I am unsure whether or not to feed them the medicated chick feed. I want these chickens to be raised as organically as possible. I'd love any insight, suggestions, and advice. Thank you!

 

[Dar]

if you are aiming for organic then you want the UNmedicated option

 

[TheNewMrsEvans]

If you keep a clean brooder that is of adequate sqft you shouldn't need medicated starter. Last year I raised everyone on Flock Raiser and had no problems with cocci. Wash your feeders and waterers in the dishwasher regularly and you can go all natural!

 

[mikecnorthwest]

I used the medicated Purina Chick Starter. I think the definition of being green is different for different people. Personally, I used the chick starter and now I use Purina's layer feed. I also let the hens out during the day to have free roam of the backyard. To me that is being green. I'm sure either way you go, medicated or unmedicated, you'll have healthy hens and great tasting eggs. Enjoy.

 

[halo]

Organic is a great concept, but so is health. I always raise my chicks with feed mixed with amprolium. Its not an antibiotic, its a thiamine blocker (I think) and keeps the chicks from getting coccidiosis, which is a nasty disease. I keep them on this until they are about 3 months old, then they go on regular feed with the rest, and Ive never had a health issue.

(knock wood....knock knock)

 

[fastpat]

I'm using unmedicated feed. I had my chicks vaccinated prior to shipment and don't like the idea of medication without some idea of disease present. As a Registered Nurse (operating room) I can tell you that there are very few medications, for humans or animals, that don't have the potential for side effects. I do provide water augmented with nutrients, the chicks will provide their own immunity (most of the time) when they're healthy.

 

[speckledhen]

If you keep a clean brooder that is of adequate sqft you shouldn't need medicated starter.

I'm sorry, but that isn't exactly true. No, you don't need to use medicated starter (BTW, it's a thiamine blocker, not an antibiotic for those who don't know), however, if you do, you can still have cocci issues.

I keep a very clean brooder and grow-out coop. It does not help when there is so much cocci in the soil here. There are 9 types of cocci and I'm betting we have most of them, including the worst type, eimeria tenella. EVERY batch of chicks I have who were not on the ground in their first week (with broody moms) gets cocci about a week after they hit the ground. I've limed it to no avail. It has absolutely nothing to do with a clean coop (here anyway) and everything to do with the environment. All my chicks are on medicated starter only because I cannot get non-medicated here. So, no need to feel guilty if you keep a clean environment for them and they still contract coccidiosis. A damp climate contributes to that as well. Dry climates don't have near the trouble with it that we do here in the South.

ETA: I have never lost one to cocci because I usually recognize the signs and start the Corid immediately. ​

 

[lemurchaser]

Quote:
The way the drug works is it is a coccidiostatic drug. The chicks are exposed to coccidia by any amount of dirt, and the drug slows the growth allowing the chicks to become immune to it. It doesn't kill the coccidia. They will get natural immunity without the drug, you may just lose some chicks. I think of it as more of a vaccine than just throwing unnecessary drugs at them, it is something they are fighting off. That being said, I really agree with not just throwing drugs at unknown diseases, it is really concerning the number of people that have a sick chicken and just use any antibiotic without knowing what is wrong. That's a great way to create resistances.

 

[Mahonri]

I use it for the first two to three weeks.

I think it helps. Since I started using it, I haven't lost any chicks.

 

[CoyoteMagic]

Quote:
Me too. I use a bag. When it's gone I switch them to the Flock Raiser I feed the rest of my flocks