Medicated vs unmedicated feed?

[LittleChocobo]

I'm getting 6-week-old silkie chicks on Thursday and the breeder is telling me to get medicated chick feed for them, as they have been started on medicated chick feed. However, the people at my local feed store say that chicks don't need to be started on medicated feed, and that they should be fine without it (they are organic). Opinions?

If they were started on medicated feed, would it harm them to go on unmedicated feed, the way not taking all your antibiotics when you're sick makes superbugs?

 

[Tiramisu]

Well, Im not really knowledable on it all. But I don't think it really matters too much, and I think with medicated you have to switch off of it at a certain time (not sure). I think you could switch to non-medicated if you don't want to use medicated.

And with superbugs I think its the opposite isn't it? Over-use of antibiotics builds up resistance causing it to get 'stronger' and then they have to get stronger medicines against it?

Here is a thread I found on Medicated vs Non-medicated https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=35519&p=1

Hope this helps you.

 

[pgpoultry]

As the previous post says, over-use of antibiotics causes bacterial resistance and will affect other animals around as the antibiotics are likely to enter the food chain of other organisms.

I never use medicated food, using antibiotics only for targeted treatment of ill chickens. I very rarely NEED to use them. I have lost very few chickens in the years that I have kept them, free range and cohabiting with dogs cats, sheep, goats, wild geese and goodness knows what other wildlife.

Sandie

 

[LittleChocobo]

Would it cause a problem for the chicks to switch from medicated to unmedicated at six weeks old though? That's my biggest concern (I was already planning to use nonmedicated, but their breeder specifically said to use medicated, which makes me wonder if they've been exposed to something).

 

[KristaChickenWhisperer]

This is totally off topic, but I love your username. It totally caught my eye. Yay final fantasy fans!

 

[Tiramisu]

I think its fine to switch now, I looked at an old post. And one post said most chicks at feed stores are on medicated and they buy them and feed non-medicated.
So I'm pretty sure its fine to use nonmedicated when you get them

ETA: I doubt they are exposed to anything, it is merely her preference. From what I've read, medicated feed has something in it to prevent cocci. But it's fine to switch, some people only use medicated for a few weeks then switch.

 

[LittleChocobo]

Krista: Well, I'd never played a FF game before 13 (I wasn't allowed to play video games growing up), and now I want to go back and play all the old games. Don't silkies with muffs look like chocobos?

Tiramisu: Awesome, that's exactly what I'm wondering. Thanks! Perfect~

 

[catterbug]

I started my chicks on medicated and now I mix half medicated and half non medicated. The only reason I mix is that the amount of protein is lower in the medicated and I wanted them to have at least a little medicated feed just in case to prevent cocci.

 

[elmo]

I'm pretty sure medicated feed doesn't contain antibiotics, but an antiparasitic product to deter coccidiosis.

 

[sequoiacyclist]

Definitely check to see if the medicated feed you are using contains antibiotics. If it does, be careful when using medicated food. Most birds do not need it unless they have a bacterial infection. Prolonged use can cause death in chicks. Often birds on medicated feed are susceptible to Candidiasis because the medicated feed kills off their 'normal flora' or healthy bacteria that lives on the body and keeps fungus at bay. Birds that have had too much antibiotics will become lethargic, and have off white patches growing in the inside of their mouths and a strange odor from their mouths along with it. The same thing happens when you take a lot of antibiotics and end up with a yeast infection of sorts. If the bird is not sick, don't use it. And if you do use it, try not to use it for a prolonged period. After a horrible experience with hand feeding parrots with medicated feed I swore that I will never use it again. We lost 90% of the chicks we were hand rearing until we switched over to normal feed. After that we had no problems at all!

More info here...

http://www.avianweb.com/candida.html