Should I put vitamins/meds in my chick's water?

[cassiadawn]

I'm getting 12 black sex-link chicks tomorrow! I don't like the idea of giving them medication in their feed all the time, so I picked up a bag of 20% non-medicated crumbles for them.

At the feedstore they had a "chick booster" that could be added to the water for the first 4 days, that has vitamins and medication. I'm wondering if maybe I should use that since I'm not using medicated feed? Is it really necessary to give day old chicks prophylactic antibiotics when they're not being put anywhere that poultry has been kept before?

 

[norwich]

No, not necessary. You are right.

 

[Giddyup]

I'm feeding unmedicated food as well, no extras. All are very healthy. My "mentor" told me that she had no better results with medicated than not, and that the medicated feeds in our area didn't cover most strains anyway. So she simply recommended that if we do end up with a problem to treat them for it at that time with the correct meds.

Works for me!

 

[lalyswishytail]

This is probably a dumb question, but...Can you buy chick feed that is non-medicated? The original post said it was 20% non-medicated, if I read it correctly.

As to medicating the water, I've only had my chickens for three weeks, but if nature doesn't put medicine in the water, I don't see why I should either.

 

[lalaland]

you sure can! might have to call around to find it, more urban stores tend to sell the medicated stuff. Kind of like trying to find soap that isn't antimicrobacterial - getting hard to find too.

 

[Giddyup]

Quote:
Absolutely! Although maybe I take it for granted that it is readily available in our area.

Good quality food, clean water, ample and clean dry bedding, should maintain healthy chicks (assuming they arrived healthy!

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