Vaccinated and Unvaccinated Chicks

[Stravager]

I can also use both the medicated feed and feed them dirt every three days for at least a few weeks, correct? Unless I’m misunderstanding, that would be beneficial too. And then I wouldn’t waste what I’ve purchased?!

Essentially yes, because the dirt will contain the Cocci strain your chickens have and the medicated feed will slow the Cocci down in their system.

 

[VTChick10]

You might try following the link in @Stravager 's post above, post #4. It should answer most of your questions about medicated feed and Coccidiosis. I'll try to give a few highlights but it can get confusing with all the "if's.

You need to check what medicine is in medicated feed. Usually in the USA it is Amprolium but there are a few that have something else.

Feeding them medicated feed does no good unless they have been exposed to the protozoa that causes Coccidiosis.

Vaccinated chicks cannot pass a virus on to other chickens. The vaccine is made from a form of Marek's virus that affect only turkeys, not chickens. The vaccine does not stop them catching Marek's, it stops the tumors that cause the problems from forming.

Parents cannot pass protection they get from vaccination to their chicks, either through the eggs or in person. It just doesn't work that way.

I just saw your post where you did follow that link. You can feed that medicated feed to not vaccinated chicks if you wish. It will not hurt them. I'd only feed the medicated feed to them and not mix it with any other feed until it is gone. Otherwise you can water down the dosage of the Amprolium to where it doesn't help you if you need the help. But remember, if you feed medicated feed to vaccinated chicks you can negate the vaccination.

They will still get the immunity if you feed them dirt from the run if you already have that protozoa in your flock. If you don't have it present they will not get any immunity from the medicated feed.

Hi Ridgerunner, thank you for replying! The feed is Purina brand and states it contains amprolium. I can try and get a receipt printed and return it. Or, I can feed it (it’s just their smallest bag) until it’s gone. Sounds like I shouldn’t be mixing these babies with the new ones coming in a few weeks, for a few weeks, anyway. I can just feed dirt and try to return the food and just get unmedicated that will feed all chicks over the next several months. If I don’t know what’s possibly IN the dirt, is it okay to just feed it to them without any sort of “prevention boost” from the medicated feed?

 

[Ridgerunner]

I raise my chicks either in the brooder in the coop or let a broody hen raise them, either hatched myself or mailed from a hatchery. They are exposed from Day 1 to whatever the flock has. I feed dirt from the run to my brooder chicks to expose them by the second or third day in the brooder. The chicks with the broody hens get exposed by the broody. I don't try to isolate them at all. I try not to.

If you keep the brooder dry the odds of them having any problems with Coccidiosis are pretty low. That's if it is even present to start with. I know I have it in my soil as a broody hen's chicks had a problem when the weather stayed wet for a couple of weeks. I've never lost a chick from Coccidiosis.

One of the first thing a broody hen does is take her chicks to an area where they can peck at the ground. That gets grit in their system as well as immediately exposes them to whatever may be in the dirt so they can start developing the immunities they need. The only real prevention I do (other than keeping the brooder dry) is to expose them as soon as I can so they start working on their immunities.

You seem to really want to protect them by preventing them from being exposed. To me the best way to protect them is to expose them and get them immune so you don't have to worry about it. Their biggest exposure will come when they first hit the ground. I want my brooder chicks immune before they hit the ground.

 

[VTChick10]

I raise my chicks either in the brooder in the coop or let a broody hen raise them, either hatched myself or mailed from a hatchery. They are exposed from Day 1 to whatever the flock has. I feed dirt from the run to my brooder chicks to expose them by the second or third day in the brooder. The chicks with the broody hens get exposed by the broody. I don't try to isolate them at all. I try not to.

If you keep the brooder dry the odds of them having any problems with Coccidiosis are pretty low. That's if it is even present to start with. I know I have it in my soil as a broody hen's chicks had a problem when the weather stayed wet for a couple of weeks. I've never lost a chick from Coccidiosis.

One of the first thing a broody hen does is take her chicks to an area where they can peck at the ground. That gets grit in their system as well as immediately exposes them to whatever may be in the dirt so they can start developing the immunities they need. The only real prevention I do (other than keeping the brooder dry) is to expose them as soon as I can so they start working on their immunities.

You seem to really want to protect them by preventing them from being exposed. To me the best way to protect them is to expose them and get them immune so you don't have to worry about it. Their biggest exposure will come when they first hit the ground. I want my brooder chicks immune before they hit the ground.

Hey Again, actually I feel quite the opposite! I WANT to expose them as early as they can handle the exposure. My questions stem from the inconsistency I have read all morning on different sites, etc. on how to go about this. I wasn’t sure before posting my own question just how early I can do this, if it’s safe at all to mix vaxxed/unvaxxed so early, and what the medicated feed that was suggested to me actually served for purpose (just to assist in prevention), etc. I guess I have felt a bit of a rush to figure it out because I have these other chicks coming in two weeks and I wanted to know the best way to keep all extremely young babies safest. I believe in exposing my own children to germs to get “immune”… I completely understand how this should work in most environments. I have learned so much through you and some others that have commented! I had a fear of feeding the medicated food and having them end up getting “sick” months from now when they’re added to the coop. This is my second year with chickens. First from mail ordered. And first time hatching chicks. All within a few weeks! I’m a little overwhelmed and am glad I asked the questions I did.