medicated versus non medicated turkey feed.

[Shelshanam]

So I'm pricing out starter turkey feed in my area.

I've got an option for medicated versus non medicated.

Nature wise is the medicated and my local feed mill makes the non medicated.

Both are almost identical in protein and all the other ingredients.

Price wise they are 4 dollars apart for a 50# bag, with the feed mill be the cheaper product.


Some concerns, I pretty much only medicate my chicks if I see signs of a worm problem. Too date I've had no losses, good weights on my gals, and I've only medicated my first group of hens (day old chicks that were having suspicious colored poop) I purchased in this area from a feed store with sulmet. But this will be my first time raising turkeys so I want to do thing right.


With Turkey is it more important to make sure you are keeping cocci under control? I live in a temperate area with 4 seasons and average rainfall around 21 inches (although I think this year we are going to beat that).

I would prefer to stay antibiotic free but with a small flock I don't want to loose birds to something preventable. So thanks in advance for suggestions or recommendations!

 

[Celie]

I do not use any medicated feed, because why would I want to medicate something if it is not sick? I use ACV, which provides probiodics, without medication to keep my turkeys healthy! But that's just my opinion!

 

[Oregon Blues]

Because I feel that turkey poults are fragile, I feed them medicated game bird starter when they are little and I am exceedingly careful to keep them in as perfect an environment as I can mange. They are expensive babies and every loss is a big financial hit.

The amprolium is vitamin based. It is not an antibiotic. If you don't want to feed it, that's fine, but it is not going to hurt your poults or contaminate the meat.

 

[Shelshanam]

Because I feel that turkey poults are fragile, I feed them medicated game bird starter when they are little and I am exceedingly careful to keep them in as perfect an environment as I can mange. They are expensive babies and every loss is a big financial hit.

The amprolium is vitamin based. It is not an antibiotic. If you don't want to feed it, that's fine, but it is not going to hurt your poults or contaminate the meat.

Thank you!


The reason I asked about the medicated is I am worried more about the Turkey Poults then baby chicks who seem to be pretty hardy. The turkeys are a larger investment and while the feed is more expensive for the medicated I rather put that out while they are young then trying to play catch up if my little flock gets sick and I start losing them.

About how many weeks do you keep them on the medicated? Is it the full 9 weeks till you change to a lower percentage feed?

Thanks again!

 

[muslw4]

I've been wondering the same question. I ordered turkeys for the first time, due to arrive in April. Can't wait! Thanks for posting with question.
I have another question, hope it's not too dumb. I've seen ACV mentioned on other posts, what is it exactly, or what does ACV stand for? and where can one get it? Is this the probiotic that can be added to water for any animal? I've done so much research lately I forget what I've read where!

 

[casportpony]

The medicated turkey starter that my store carries does not have amprolium in it like the chick starter does.

http://www.farmerswarehouse.com/PDFs/Products/Poultry-Feeds/5725.pdf

 

[casportpony]

I've been wondering the same question. I ordered turkeys for the first time, due to arrive in April. Can't wait! Thanks for posting with question.
I have another question, hope it's not too dumb. I've seen ACV mentioned on other posts, what is it exactly, or what does ACV stand for? and where can one get it? Is this the probiotic that can be added to water for any animal? I've done so much research lately I forget what I've read where!

ACV=Apple cider vinegar
ADDY=Address
AMER=Ameraucana
ANDY=Blue Andalusian
APA=American Poultry Association
APF=All Purpose Flour
ASAP=As Soon As Possible
BA OR LORP = Black Australorp
BB=Buff Brahma
BBB=Broad Breasted Bronze turkey
BBL= Be Back later
BBR=Black Breasted Red
BBW=Broad Breasted White turkey
BCM=Black Copper Marans
BF=Bantam Fowl
BF=Boy Friend
BFN= Bye for Now
BIL=Brother in Law
BL= Bue laced
BLRW=Blue Laced Red Wyandotte
BO=Buff Orrington
BOB=Best of Breed
BOBCLLF=Best of Breed clean legged large fowl
BOHICA=Bend Over Here It Comes Again (pertinant when dealing with government regulations etc....)
BOSS=Black Oil Sunflower Seed
BPR=Barred Plymouth Rock
BQ=Breeder quality
BR=Barred rock.
BR=Bourbon Red
BRB= Be right back
BR-Barred rock.
BSL=Black Sex Link
BTB=Black tailed buff (usually Japanese bantams)
BTW=Black tailed white (usually Japanese bantams)
BTW=By the Way
BTW-black tailed white (usually japanese bantams)
BV=Best of Variety
BYC=Backyard Chickens (the forum, not chickens in your backyard!)
CBOF=Cantankerous Bag Of Feathers
CC=ChickChair
CF=Champion Featherleg
CL=Clean Legged
CM=Cuckoo Marans
C-ya = See ya
DB=Dark Brahma
DC=Dear Children
DD=Dear Daughter, Dear Dad
DE=Diatomaceous Earth
DF=Dear Father
DF=Dear Father
DF=Dear Fiance
DH=Dear (most times) Husband
DLM=Deep litter method
DM=Dear Mother, Dear Mom
DP=Dear partner
DS=Dear Son
DSD=Dear Step Daughter
DSF=Dear Step Father
DSM=Dear Step Mother
DSS=Dear Step Son
DUW=Dial up warning! Slow upload.
DW=Dear Wife
EE=Easter eggers (Ameraucana Crosses)
ETA=Edited to add
FAV=Faverol
FIL=Father in Law
FL=Feather Legged
FS=For sale
FWIW=For What It’s Worth
FYI= For your information
GCM=Golden Cuckoo Marans
GDW=Golden Duck Wing
GF=Girl Friend
GF=Guinea Fowl
GL=Gold laced
GLC=Gold Laced Cochin
GLS=Gold Sex Link
GLW=Gold Laced Wyandotte
GP=Gold penciled
GPH=Gold Penciled Hamburg
GPN=GoldenPheasantNessia
HRH= Her Royal Heiness (SP?)
HTH=Hope that helps
IMHO=In my honest opinion
IMHO=In my humble opinion
IMO-In my opinion
JBG = Jersey Black Giant
JG=Jersey Giant
KWIM=Know what I mean?
LB=Light Brahma
LF=Large Fowl
LFS=Local Feed Store
LG=Little Giant
LG-Little Giant Incubator
LOL=Laugh Out Loud
Methione=An amino acid (containing sulfur) required for feather growth. It's found in black oil sunflower seeds which also contain 30% protein.
MIL=Mother in Law
MPC=My Pet Chicken
MUTT= MIXED BREED CHICKEN
NHR=New Hampshire Red
NN=Naked Neck or Turken
NSQ=Non Show Quality
OEG - Old English Gamebirds
OEG=Old English game (usually standards).
OEGB=Old English Game Bantam
OEG-Old english game (ususally standards).
OMG=Oh My God
OP=Original poster
OS=Older sister
PC=Pea Chick
PC=Pea Comb
PEEP= The sound a chick first makes that let's you know you're going to be a mama! (Or papa!)
PH=Pea Hen
PITA=Pain In The Arse
POL=Point Of Lay
PQ=Pet Quality
RB=Reserve Breed
RC=Rose Comb
RF=Reserve Featherleg
RIR=Rhode Island Red,
Roo=Rooster
ROTFLMAO=Rolling on the floor Laughing My a** off
ROTFLMBO: Rolling on the floor Laughing My butt off.
RP=Royal Palm turkey
RSL=Red Sex Link
RV=Reserve Variety
SC=Single Comb
SCOVY=Muscovy duck
SDW=Silver Duck Wing
SIL=Sister in Law
SL=Silver laced
SLC=Silver Laced Cochin
SLW=Silver Laced Wyandotte
SO=Significant Other
SP?=Spelling Right?
SP=Silver penciled
SPITZY=Appenzeller (Silver Spangled) Spitzhauben
SQ=Show Quality
SS=Speckled Sussex
SSH=Silver Spangled Hamburg
SSS=Shoot, Shovel, and Shut up! Predator category. Lol
TSC=Tractor Supply Co
TWITA=Thats What I'm Talking About
TY=Thank You
WB=Welcome Back
WCBP=White Crested Black Polish
WCP=White crested polish.
WFBS=White Faced Black Spanish
WL=White leghorn
WTB=Wanted To Buy
WTH= What the heck
WWYD= What would you do

 

[muslw4]

Ah big DUH on my part I take ACV myself to balence pH now I get it. I think I read this on another thread, can't remember which one, but if the pH is acidic in sheep/goats, they may be more likely to have female offspring? I guess I should try it and see.

 

[casportpony]

Ah big DUH on my part I take ACV myself to balence pH now I get it. I think I read this on another thread, can't remember which one, but if the pH is acidic in sheep/goats, they may be more likely to have female offspring? I guess I should try it and see.

They say that's true in horses, too.

 

[Oregon Blues]

About how many weeks do you keep them on the medicated? Is it the full 9 weeks till you change to a lower percentage feed?

I buy game bird starter that is 28% protein and it is medicated. They stay on that until they can easily eat pellets and then they go onto a 20% turkey pellet that is not medicated. I transition them for a couple of weeks, so they have both feeds in their feeder at the same time for awhile. I don't want any of them to slow down in their eating because the pellets are harder to swallow. I haven't kept track of what week I switch, but they are completely feathered and weigh a couple of pounds at the time. I get really good growth with the game bird starter, so a couple of extra weeks is not really a waste of money. Basically, they get switched when the bag of starter runs out.

I put a spoonful of yogurt into their water and when they switch feeds, I keep up the yogurt plus add a niacin tablet to their water. The game bird starter has adequate niacin, but I am not so convinced about the niacin in the turkey pellet and don't want to risk leg issues with such fast growing birds. They need sunshine for vitamin D so that they can use the calcium and phosphorus to build good bones.