switching feed

[catterbug]

My chicks are 9 weeks old. They are still eating a mix of chick feed. It is a bucket of 18%medicated and 20%unmedicated feed. The hatchery I bought them from recommends switching to a 15% unmedicated pullet grower. I really don't want to waste the feed I have which may last another 2 weeks. Is it ok to use it until it runs out or should I switch?

 

[spottedtail]

Why are you mixing medicated and unmedicated feed?
That doesn't seem like a good thing to do.
Were your chicks vaccinated for coccidiosis??

And can you get Grower locally?
It's not common in most areas.

spot

 

[catterbug]

My chicks were not vaccinated for coccidiosis. The hatchery suggested medicated feed at 20% but my feed store only had it at 18% so I called the hatchery and they then said to mix the 2 so that I could still get the 20% but also the medicated feed. I just don't want to waste what I have left and was wondering if I could just feed them it until it is gone. They shouldn't be laying for 2 months or so thus the medication should be out of their system.

I hope I didn't hurt them by feeding them the mix.

 

[Liana]

I don't know if you have harmed them, but by mixing medicated and unmedicated feeds, you essentially diluted the medication. So your chicks may or may not have gotten much benefit from the medication. Not sure if it would help them to be on it longer at this reduced medication level or if it would be better to just switch them over to a grower feed.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Continue feeding it until it is gone. It will do absolutely no harm. You can mix it with the Grower if you wish to reduce the protein content and are lucky enough to be able to find Grower. I like to switch around 6 weeks if I have the option but I usually have to stick with the combined Starter/Grower because that often is all I have available. I always continue to feed what I have left, usually mixing it when I switch to ease the transition, but don't be surprised if they pick out one instead of the other. When mine do that, I don't give them any more until they clean their plate. They do clean it up eventually. I don't like to have old feed in their feeder, It loses potency and may go moldy.

Since your chicks were not vaccinated for cocci, you have not done them any harm at all feeding the mixed medicated feed. The medicine in the medicated is probably Amprol or an Amprolium product which inhibits the reproduction of the protazoa that causes cocci in the intestines of the chick. It does not completely stop the reproduction so the chick can still develop the immunity it needs. A smaller amount of the Amprol just means less restrictions on the reproduction of that protazoa if it is present. If you raised them in a fairly dry brooder, cocci was probably never a threat anyway.