medicating and vaccinating your hen-hatched chicks?

[MareeZoCool]

I'm still too new to this chicken raising, my hen hatched out 3 chicks on April 21-24. They are living in mom's personal coop/run, outside 24/7. We plan to purchase chick starter feed today. I know, late on this purchase, but momma hen has been keeping those chicks eating just fine, they seem to be in excellent health, very active. Will the chick starter feed be sufficient for the chicks? Do I need to buy any other meds for these chicks?

 

[Southernbelle]

The chick starter should be all they need and don't be worried if mama hen prefers the chick starter to her laying ration. She probably won't lay eggs for about a month, so the low calcium in the chick starter won't affect her eggs for a while. I like to use medicated feed for the babies to help them fight off cocci, but hen raised chicks have a lower incidence of cocci.

Vaccinations for a few chicks would be unrealistic. Most vaccines come in huge bottles with a lot of doses and you'd have to order them through the mail. For instance, after vaccinating for Mereks, the newly vaccinated chicks need to be isolated from adult chickens for 10 days to give the vaccine time to take effect. I think that most people who hatch their own chicks don't vaccinate. I choose not to vaccinate for anything.

 

[MareeZoCool]

Thank you, Southernbelle!

I appreciate your answer to my worried question. I want to do the right thing for these babies, for sure!