medicated versus non medicated turkey feed.

[Celie]

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!

No Question is a dumb question. That's what we are all here for, to learn from each other!

ACV stands for Apple Cider Vinegar, you get the natural, unpasteurized at Wal-Mart. I give it to everybody around here, and My nephew and his wife along with their Doctor came up with a similar PH thing when they planned their 4 children and claimed it worked 4 out of 4 times! I don't know about that, but it has the probiodics for lower gut health in dogs, rabbits, people and birds. I use unmedicated feed so I can't answer to switch from medicated anything. I raised 33 turkey poults for myself last year and close to a hundred for customers until 6 weeks when they were go to their new turkey homes. I carry around a squeeze bottle of ACV in my smock and everybody's water gets it. I do not use any yogurt, because here in the South, I would be afraid it might curdle and make them sick, but I do give all my birds calcium in the form of oyster shell, they can take whatever their system needs. I do not mix it with their feed. I also crumble in empty egg shells from the incubator and the kitchen, after they dry.

 

[Lagerdogger]

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!

I agree with Celie. We don't use medicated feed for chicks or turkeys. No problems. Most books make it sound like turkeys are impossible to raise without losing half of them or more. I have not found this to be the case. Almost all of my losses occur with failure to start, which is probably the result of incubating with cheap thermometers. Last summer I had a few adults get sick...listless, drooping wings, yellow runny stool. I didn't medicate them either and they all got better. Go figure, they make antibodies too.

I think the only times diseases are big killers is if your flock is too crowded. Just mu opinion. I'm sure there are some horror stories of people doing things just right and losing turkeys. But so often on this site I read of people jumping to antibiotic injections at the first sign of illness, and most of the time it is probably not necessary.

Having said all that, I don't know much about poultry diseases compared tp many people on these forums. But the non-medicated route is working pretty good for me so far.

 

[kuntrygirl]

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!

Any my opinion too. I agree with Celie.

 

[frank53061]

I do not use medicated food I use apple cider vinegar and diatamais earth for all my animals four legged and two legged.
The apple cider vinegar for over all health and the diatamais earth for preventing and removal of worms and I have not lost any of my animals knock on wood.
The best way to prevent spread of any thing that could be passed on is to ether buy chicks or poults from a good hatchery or incubate your own or allow your hens to hatch out.
If you are in an area that is prone to black head that's a different story if you prefer to buy adult birds medicated feed may be necessary.
For me I think I would not buy any adult birds because of the slim chance of passing any thing on to my flock even tho I could isolate and watch for any problems.

Best of luck in your Fowl Futcher

 

[jcinnamon]

I am wondering the same thing with medicated vs non medicated. We just brought our new turkeys home yesterday. Theven feed store said they were about 5 to 7 days old. They told me not to feed medicated but I noticed our turkey babies have watery poop. They are alert and eating and drinking. They just don't have solid poop?? Should I switch them to a medicated feed?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

The consistency of their poop has to do with water consumption, as the dropping are both the solid and liquid, or urine. Young poultry sometimes don't have solid dropping for the first few weeks before it starts to look more normal.

Medicated feed is for coccidiosis which causes blood in the droppings.

I don't use medicated feeds for any poultry.