Should I feed my chicks medicated feed?

[pvchicken1]

I just hatched 5 chicks. I have a few older birds (14 weeks old) that are on non medicated starter feed. I am feeding the other chicks with the same food. Will they get coccidiosis? I am trying to have them Non - GMO. Or should I get the medicated feed?

 

[Kiki]

The medicated part of the medicated feeds is not an antibiotic or a 'medicine.'
It sure as heck isn't anything like a vaccine either.

 

[R2elk]

I do but only because it helps them to acquire resistance to especially cocci. If I have any feed left over when I change them over to other feed I mix the medicated feed in with the new feed and then when it's gone it's gone. I have had no issues doing this. Good luck...

Please do not mix medicated feed with non medicated feed. The medicated feed has the effective amount of amprolium in it. When you mix it with non medicated feed you reduce the medication below its effective level. One of the risks of doing this is developing resistance to the amprolium.

Also cocci and coccidiosis are two different things.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/just-a-friendly-reminder-on-coccidiosis-vs-cocci.1190998/

 

[writerskramp]

No! It's my personal choice.. I have and won't do anymore.. My reasoning if you want to call it that.. Immune System can not develop if VEXED.. get yours did you..? Sorry Political and get your affairs in order.. I am older than most vaccines.. I lived through Polio, Small Pox, Scarlet Fever to Rheumatic Fever.. Have had every childhood disease known to man.. Heck, mama's used to set up play dates with some kid you didn't even know so you would get the Mumps too Measles or Chicken Pox.. That is the way to do it.. None of these diseases are what they are cracked up to be.. even had Rubella (Hard German Measles) as an infant and am still here.. Though poor eyesight which may be hereditary anyway.. You medicate and you remove all the fun.. I've been VEXED two times, Polio, with which they lined us up two too three times a year experiment.., and Small pox. They did sneak a Tetanus shot up on me when I wasn't looking.. So not necessarily. Postscript: Believe the Immune System has been breed out of them.. but it is a start nonetheless.

 

[cmom]

I will differ with you. I think you misunderstood my post. I was only saying if you have some LEFT OVER medicated feed it's ok to mix it in with the new feed then just continue with the new feed.

 

[Kiki]

Then what is it..?

"The drug is a thiamine analogue and blocks the thiamine transporter of Eimeria species. By blocking thiamine uptake it prevents carbohydrate synthesis."

 

[doccod]

No! It's my personal choice.. I have and won't do anymore.. My reasoning if you want to call it that.. Immune System can not develop if VEXED.. get yours did you..? Sorry Political and get your affairs in order.. I am older than most vaccines.. I lived through Polio, Small Pox, Scarlet Fever to Rheumatic Fever.. Have had every childhood disease known to man.. Heck, mama's used to set up play dates with some kid you didn't even know so you would get the Mumps too Measles or Chicken Pox.. That is the way to do it.. None of these diseases are what they are cracked up to be.. even had Rubella (Hard German Measles) as an infant and am still here.. Though poor eyesight which may be hereditary anyway.. You medicate and you remove all the fun.. I've been VEXED two times, Polio, with which they lined us up two too three times a year experiment.., and Small pox. They did sneak a Tetanus shot up on me when I wasn't looking.. So not necessarily. Postscript: Believe the Immune System has been breed out of them.. but it is a start nonetheless.

I like your logic. I went through the same thing growing up in the late 50’s. I had all except polio thank god. My wife (67 and I’m 63) had the RONA in January and it was nothing worse than cold symptoms. We and chickens need to update our immune systems. That’s why kids like me that ate dirt when we were younger didn’t get sick all the time!

 

[cmom]

I do but only because it helps them to acquire resistance to especially cocci. If I have any feed left over when I change them over to other feed I mix the medicated feed in with the new feed and then when it's gone it's gone. I have had no issues doing this. Good luck...

 

[R2elk]

I will differ with you. I think you misunderstood my post. I was only saying if you have some LEFT OVER medicated feed it's ok to mix it in with the new feed then just continue with the new feed.

It can be harmful to mix a medicated feed with a non medicated feed. The worst outcome is developing strains that are resistant to the medication. It is fine to use up the medicated feed and then switch to the non medicated feed.

 

[R2elk]

Uh oh. I mixed a few cups of leftover feed with grower (non medicated) feed. Will my chicks be ok?! They're 7 weeks.

Probably. Personally, I do not use medicated feed at all.