Medicated or unmedicated starter feed?

[cafarmgirl]

The medication typically found in most common medicated chick starter is not an antibiotic, it is Amprolium which is simply a thiamin blocker to help control overgrowth of the coccidia protozoa while the chicks develop their own immunity. There are some feeds that contain Bacitracin but they usually are not commonly sold at feed stores and are more for commercial type situations. But one should always check labels to be sure of what they are purchasing.

 

[bobcatdan]

We just bought our 4 babies today. I had to get three from one store and the other from a different store. The first store said its ok to not do the med. starter while the other suggested to feed them the med. food. Since I bought the non-medicated food I'm wondering if I should purchase the probiotic powder to add in their drinking water. What do you guys think?

 

[Ridgerunner]

As others have repeatedly said, Amprolium is not an antibiotic. It specifically targets the protozoa that cause Coccidiosis by limiting their reproduction. You do need to read the label to confirm Amprolium is the only medication you are dealing with, but for most standard pre-packaged brands sold over the counter, it should be. My understanding is that Amprolium is not allowed if they are to be considered “organic”, but I’m not 100% sure on that.

The bugs that cause Coccidiosis live in the soil. They especially thrive in warm moist soil like the US Gulf Coast, but can live about anywhere, even in the desert if a waterer keeps the ground moist. A few of these bugs in their system is not a problem. If it is in your soil, they need that to develop immunity. It’s when the numbers get out of hand that you see a problem, and yes, that can kill the chicks.

There are several different strains of protozoa that can cause Coccidiosis. Immunity to one does not give immunity to all. Chickens gain immunity by being exposed to the bug for about three weeks. Three weeks is a number to remember.

Since the bug thrives in warm moist soil, a wet brooder is the perfect place for the bug to be present in large numbers. Once the outside temperatures warm up and the spring rains set in, your run can be a potential problem area too. What often happens to cause an outbreak is that the chicks are exposed to the bug and then kept in a fairly wet area. They will peck and eat at the ground. The bug thrives, they eat it, and the numbers get out of hand in their guts. Some strains of Coccidiosis are stronger than others, so keeping things dry is not always successful, but it will go a long way toward keeping the bug under control. Another potential problem area is their water if they can poop in it. You really do need to keep their water clean. Change it out daily, don’t just refill it if it is getting dry.

With the dosage of Amprolium in medicated feed, it does not totally stop the bug from reproducing. It allows enough to reproduce, as long as there is some moisture around to complete the life cycle portion that takes place in the moist soil, for them to build up their immunity. That takes about three weeks of constant exposure.

So when is the best time to feed medicated feed? For at least three weeks after they are first exposed, but go ahead and finish off the bag if it’s not done. It doesn’t cause any harm to feed medicated with Amprolium, but it also doesn’t do any good if they have not been exposed. A fairly common occurrence is for people to feed medicated feed while they are in the brooder and have never been exposed to the bug, then stop feeding medicated feed when they leave the brooder and hit the ground, where they are first exposed. These are some of the people that rant and rave about how medicated feed doesn’t work. The others are normally the ones that have wet conditions.

I don’t see anything wrong with feeding medicated feed but I don’t use it. I keep my brooder pretty dry and change the drinking water regularly. On about the second or third day in the brooder I feed them some dirt from the run where the adult chickens are, then repeat that every four or five days. This gives then a continuous supply of that protozoa so they can start working on immunity while they are in a pretty dry brooder so the numbers don’t get out of control. It also introduces any probiotics the adults have and gives them grit. It also exposes them to any other thing the adults might have. They are going to be exposed to it anyway somewhere down the line. I prefer to get them working on flock immunities when they are young instead of waiting until they hit the ground.

I did not raise my kids in a sterile cocoon. They were exposed to the outdoors and occasionally got dirty. So far they’ve had pretty strong immune systems. I don’t try to raise my chicks in a sterile cocoon either. I think they will be healthier if they are exposed to the environment they will be living in so they can build strong immune systems instead of relying on drugs to keep them healthy.

 

[debid]

I start with nipple waterers in the brooder which eliminates drinking fecal contaminated water altogether and keeps things drier. The feeder is raised as they grow and they aren't allowed to roost on it (cardboard cone method). So, I limit how much nastiness they ingest. But yeah, I had batch #1 on soil very early (outings begin at a week old) and batch #2 was in a juvie coop side by side with the adults from the beginning. Exactly the opposite of what my chicken book advises, BTW, but I figured if I were lucky enough to have a hen do the work, the littles would be with the adults.

 

[n3kms]

This is a really good thread. I've learned a lot. Thanks.

 

[YardBirdMom]

I have learned a lot as well and am happy the guy at the store said to add dirt from their environment to the trough I put them in. They love it and now I learn it's beneficial for them in more ways than one! Yay!!

 

[smitty750]

Awesome info everybody, thanks a lot. I just picked up 4 chicks today about a week old. Is it normal for them to sleep a lot at first?

 

[cafarmgirl]

Awesome info everybody, thanks a lot. I just picked up 4 chicks today about a week old. Is it normal for them to sleep a lot at first?

Yes, they will alternate bursts of energy, running around and eating, then suddenly one by one they'll drop and sleep like little rocks. Wake and repeat over and over.