Hello all, This is my first time raising baby chicks (we have seven Buff Orpington hens in the brooder), and the significant other and I have decided to feed them medicated starter (I know there is much debate about medicated starter, but we live in Tulsa, OK, which is pretty hot and humid this time of year, and we don't want to risk it). However, we followed the guidelines from the hatchery (Cackle) upon first receiving our chicks and gave them nonmedicated feed for the first couple of days. Though we bought the smallest bag of nonmedicated feed available, it's still a pretty good sized bag. I also have some powdered Corid on hand (just in case of an outbreak). I was wondering if there is a way to mix the powdered corid with the nonmedicated feed so the feed doesn't go to waste. The instruction on the corid just say to put it in the water. I could just do that, I suppose, but I was just curious if mixing the powder with the feed would be an option. Thanks for the help!
To understand why and how to use medicated feed, you first need to understand how chicks contract coccidia. It doesn't just appear out of thin air. Chicks that spend their first 6 weeks in a brooder are not going to have any issues with coccidia. Coccidia is a protozoa that lives in soil. It is not a threat until chicks are exposed to outside soil. So if your plan is to keep them indoors for several weeks, just use up the unmedicated feed and give them the medicated stuff once you are ready to start taking them outside for playtime. After a week or two of being exposed to the local soil, they will have built up enough resistance to not need medicated feed any longer.
Keep things clean,and just feed them the medicated feed.This has stuff to hekp prevent and fight it.Wouldnt give them anything they dont really need.
