Medicated Starter Feed Use?

[chickenchick12]

Howdy y'all!
My silly mother went to get food for our chicks that we get tomorrow (yay

) but she got non-medicated. Then yesterday she got some medicated chick starter feed like they need but we also still have the fifty pounds of non-medicated. I plan on still using the not medicated feed but I wondered how long we should feed the medicated stuff before switching to non-medicated. Is it possible to mix the feeds or would that screw up the medication rations? And how long should the chicks have medicated before switching?
Thanks a bunch for the help!

~chickenchick

 

[Bridebeliever]

Using medicated feed is totally optional. I raised 9 chicks at the end of last summer with no medicated feed at all. I was trying to be organic and didn't even understand what medicated feed was all about. They all vigorously survived and all began laying for me in the last two weeks!

I think if you want to start with medicated feed do so for as long as you like..2 weeks...4 weeks? Then mix the two feeds you have.

You didn't mention, how many chicks are you getting?

 

[realsis]

I like to use the medicated feed as a little extra insurance.it's a personal choice.

 

[chickenchick12]

Hello!
I know that the medicated feed is optional but it is something that my 4-H leader requires us to use because of the risk of coccidiosis and other bad-for-chicks diseases. It is just a choice that I like to make. We are getting four chicks now and might be adding a few more later on. Thanks so much for the info @Bridebeliever. I will make sure to give my chicks the medicated for 4 or 5 weeks and then I will switch to the mixed feeds.
Thanks a ton you guys!

~chickenchick

 

[junebuggena]

Medicated chick starter only helps protect from coccidia, nothing else. It won't prevent coccidia, but it will make a serious case less likely. Medicated feed will not prevent any viral or bacterial illness.

 

[Bridebeliever]

Also offering your chicks from dirt outside in the environment they are going to be in is good for them. It's all about building up resistance. Cocci is everywhere in the environment. I started taking mine outside to dig around in dirt and grass when they were two weeks old.

 

[ChickityChina]

Great info - will keep this in mind when buying feed over the next few months.

 

[Folly's place]

With a very small group of chicks, large bags of feed will last a long time. Make sure you always check the date on the bag, and feed nothing older than four to six weeks, because some of the vitamins will be lost over time. Mary