Should you feed your chicks medicated feed?

[gryeyes]

sunny & the 5 egg layers :

Since I am feeding them non medicated feed at the moment would it be ok to switch to medicated if I do decide to use medicated feed? Thanks guys!

Yes.

The amprolium in the medicated feed is a thiamine blocker, keeping the coccidia protozoa in check so the chicks CAN build resistance to it. If they are on the ground without it, there is nothing to stop the growth and it can overwhelm them. The adult birds in an existing flock are generally already resistant, but when young chickens join the flock OR are out in grow out coops/pens, they are not unless they've got the medicated feed... Which needs to be fed to them for another couple of weeks to build that resistance.

Sorry, what I wrote makes sense to me because I've just weathered a bad Coccidosis outbreak which killed 10 of my youngsters... Hope it makes sense to others.​

 

[nuttyredhead]

Quote:
Yes.

The amprolium in the medicated feed is a thiamine blocker, keeping the coccidia protozoa in check so the chicks CAN build resistance to it. If they are on the ground without it, there is nothing to stop the growth and it can overwhelm them. The adult birds in an existing flock are generally already resistant, but when young chickens join the flock OR are out in grow out coops/pens, they are not unless they've got the medicated feed... Which needs to be fed to them for another couple of weeks to build that resistance.

Sorry, what I wrote makes sense to me because I've just weathered a bad Coccidosis outbreak which killed 10 of my youngsters... Hope it makes sense to others.

It did make sense, Im sorry to hear about your youngsters....

 

[WhySayWhat]

I opted for one 5 lb bag of medicated feed just to be on the "safer" side. That was back when everything I read said chicks eat 1/2 a pound of feed every day! At 2 weeks old, my three little pullets have polished off a little less than half the bag, lol. I'm sure they eat more as they get bigger (what comes out the other end is certainly bigger), so I'm hoping they finish off this bag as they get a little outdoor play time.

 

[chiefsfan36]

we keep a small flock and never used medicated feed.,.,.was always told that if you keep a big flock it's needed.

 

[mtngrl812]

Thanks to everyone that posted a reply. I was just wondering the same thing about weather or not to feed medicated feed. I think in the beginning, while still confined indoors to a brooder I will mix it with, once we start adventuring outdoors I will put them on straight medicated until they are 8 weeks or so. I have only one lonely rooster at this time, and need to find a new home for the turkey ASAP, but there are a lot of wild birds around my home of many different types and I don't want my little ones picking something up from them.
Has anyone heard of feeding milk replacer to chicks as a supplement? I knew of a feed store owner that would add milk replacer for cattle into the chicks feeders from time to time. Any ideas?
Thanks all.