New chicks, do they need medication?

[drezac10]

I am hatching some babies and am wondering if the need medication other than what is in the medicated feed?

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

No- not unless they get sick.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=39604
causes of early chick mortality if you are interested

chick care:
http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/BRKRaisingChicks.html
http://www.mcmurrayhatchery.com/chickcare.html

 

[maizey]

medicated feed is supposed to prevent coccidiosis which is a parisite infection that can be deadly to young birds. It comes from the soil and they will develop natural immunity to it if they don't get too much exposure before their systems can handle it. I kept my young birds off the ground until they were about 3 weeks old then only let them spend an hour or so a day on the ground for "play time" and increased the time as they got older. Never used medicated feed, never had a problem. I feel its better for them to develop a natural immunity than to suppress it with the medicated feed..just my opinion.

 

[maizey]

oops, you didnt actually ask what medicated feed was did you? I replied before reading your post carefully, thought you were asking what it was...sorry!

 

[speckledhen]

No, healthy chicks do not need medication. The med in the feed is amprolium and sometimes an added ingredient that blocks thiamine, which the oocysts that cause cocci feed off of. Contrary to what some will tell you, the chicks do not need antibiotics.

 

[sheila3935]

for the first week I give them electrolyes with vitamins in their drinking water then once a week for a few more weeks after that. Seems like it gets then off to a good start. I have never lost a chick so far anyway and I give mine medicated chick starter at least for the first 8 weeks.

 

[drezac10]

I origionally bought day old chicks last april. Now doing some hatching and just wanted to make sure I was giving them the right start. So far 1 has hatched and have 4 more pips so far.