Should I feed my chicks medicated feed?

[Bill752]

I raise ducklings with my chicks so I can't use medicated feed & 30 years ago I was doing the same thing.

 

[saysfaa]

Okay.. I understand none of what you just said..

The "medicine" stops the cells of the germ from using its food.

The rest is the chemistry/biology of exactly how it does that.

It isn't an antibiotic because the germs are not bacteria. It isn't at all like a vaccine because vaccines induce the immune system to recognize a virus. The germs aren't viruses and the immune system isn't induces. Whether it is a "medicine" depends on what definition of medicine is used; I would call it a medicine in most of the definitions of medicine I might use.

 

[writerskramp]

The "medicine" stops the cells of the germ from using its food.

The rest is the chemistry/biology of exactly how it does that.

It isn't an antibiotic because the germs are not bacteria. It isn't at all like a vaccine because vaccines induce the immune system to recognize a virus. The germs aren't viruses and the immune system isn't induces. Whether it is a "medicine" depends on what definition of medicine is used; I would call it a medicine in most of the definitions of medicine I might use.

Like an aspirin.. Theoretically does more damage than good I would think.. but my headaches gone and my ulcer is bleeding again.. So thank you, nonetheless. Sorta understand, but still see no benefit. Postscript: Always thought germs were bacteria.. That's why momma made me wash my hands, often.. maybe it was just dirt.

 

[saysfaa]

Bacteria are germs. So are other microorganisms like viruses, protozoa, etc.

I haven't decided. But I do see the benefit in some cases. I'm not selection breeding stock, so don't need to consider the effect on future generations. On an end generation, it is about how much exposure strengthens the immune system vs how much is so much it damages the chick. And how much risk one has of missing one way or the other.

Chicks' systems adapt to these germs over time if the chicks live long enough. If they get a low enough load of the parasites while they are adapting, they survive. How low is low enough varies depending on the health/strength/stress of the chick. How high the load is on a given chick varies.

So, a vigorous chick with plain feed in a moderately high load area could get the same benefit as a less vigorous chick with plain feed in a moderately low load area. Either would get less benefit, but likely still some benefit, if they had the same situations eating medicated feed.

But a vigorous chick on medicated feed in a very low load area might get no benefit and a less vigorous chick on nonmedicated feed in a high load area be damaged more than strengthened.

 

[Tilhana]

I don't give my chicks or chickens medicated feed at all ever. All organic, non-GMO. Chickens have never been sick. One other thing we do is give them plenty of space. We can walk inside their coop. And the run is nice and big. In 5 years, we've never lost a chicken to disease, sickness or predator. I just believe in letting Mother Nature do her job. To each his/her own though.

Wow, seriously? I follow the same practices, also been keeping chickens for almost 5 years, and I've lots a LOT of chickens to both disease and predators. Granted, the predator issue depends a lot on where you live and how you confine them during the day, but 5 years with no disease at all? Makes me wonder if I doing something wrong...

Granted, I suspect there may be some disease lying dormant in my flock, something like perhaps Marek's, maybe from some of the birds I bought as pullets or even contracted from a wild bird, that most of them are immune to or keep at bay as long as their health is good, but if they become weakened by anything else it comes out and makes them sick enough to kill them. I'm keeping this year's batch of chicks isolated from the adults just in case, to see if they stay healthier than the ones I raised last year with the adults. But I kind of was assuming that the occasional illness was just something that's inevitable when you raise chickens, but hearing that someone can do it with no losses for 5 years makes me wonder if I'm doing something massively wrong.

 

[Vickyw222]

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.

FYI
The average life span is calculated by including deaths from childhood diseases.
By my (unprofessional) calculations you may never die.
What are you doing in 2099?
I'll be the other one left and I'll need new friends by then.

 

[jonalisa]

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.

I did this too.

 

[Mellowmalt]

I am sure back when I first started (although I may be wrong) there was no such thibng as medicated feed - I'd certainkly never heard of it and I did fine for 20 years without it.
The 16 chicks I have hatched this year have done fine without it.
And I'm sure I'll do fine without it for the next 20 years or till I get a case of coccidiosis.

I personally think as soon as a chick gets the snivels people seem to think medicated is the answer but like someone pointed out one medicine does not equal a medicine that will cure absolutely everything and using it in excess will probably lead to chickens becoming immune to it.

If I ever and only if I ever suspect losing more than 2 chickens to coccidiosis(or whatever the illness is called vs the medicine) would I consider using it and if I bought chicks from a hatchery that has different bacteria to mine. Only then would I consider the option but hatching them myself they will not be able to get coccidiosis apart from from me if I bring it home.

 

[jonalisa]

I do, and I would. My chicks are raised in an indoor brooder where they don't get much exposure to outdoor bacteria. (I did try bringing in sod, but now with a sick chick, I have to be sure she isn't exposed to even more bacteria while sick.)
In the future, I will do medicated again, but it is a preference and I think you choose based on your situation and gut.

 

[cmom]

I had my first flock a little over 50 years ago. The birds free ranged and we provided them grains and seeds back then. I don't remember buying any feed though my other half at the time may have. I can't remember stuff. They did have a coop. Medicated feed only aids in the chicks ability in acquiring a resistance. Not medicine.