What kind of chick food do you use?

[Koko Acres]

We use Tucker Milling unmedicated chick starter for the littles. I ferment feed and feed my older ones a mix of TM 22% layer pellets and TM Cutting Edge Conditioner which is a 16% scratch.

I am about to transition all of the life stages to the unmedicated chick starter with a side of oyster shell. Just trying to streamline.

 

[StinkyAcres]

Very interesting. Also I have never heard of Coccidiosis. I have never dealt with it. Only sick chicken I've had was one that ended up with sour crop... so this is interesting.​

Medicated feed is only for the prevention of coccidiosis in chicks. The medication is a coccidiostat and doesn't treat or prevent any other diseases.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Very interesting. Also I have never heard of Coccidiosis. I have never dealt with it. Only sick chicken I've had was one that ended up with sour crop... so this is interesting.​

Medicated feed is only for the prevention of coccidiosis in chicks. The medication is a coccidiostat and doesn't treat or prevent any other diseases.

x2. Unless you're not in the US, OP, or somehow have a feed that's been treated for something else, "medicated" feed has nothing to do with medicine and it simply contains a thiamine inhibitor to slow growth of coccidiosis. Personally I wonder if restricting absorption of a B-vitamin isn't the best thing for their development.

I feed organic which I believe excludes the option of medicated. I have had coccidiosis in my flock before (first batch of chicks). I have Corid on hand for that, if needed. I now brood outdoors directly on the run floor to deliberately expose chicks to any coccidiosis in the environment so the chicks start building up immunity via exposure. All subsequent batches of chicks have not had an issue with coccidiosis even though it's in the environment.

 

[GoldenBlossoms]

x2. Unless you're not in the US, OP, or somehow have a feed that's been treated for something else, "medicated" feed has nothing to do with medicine and it simply contains a thiamine inhibitor to slow growth of coccidiosis. Personally I wonder if restricting absorption of a B-vitamin isn't the best thing for their development.

I feed organic which I believe excludes the option of medicated. I have had coccidiosis in my flock before (first batch of chicks). I have Corid on hand for that, if needed. I now brood outdoors directly on the run floor to deliberately expose chicks to any coccidiosis in the environment so the chicks start building up immunity via exposure. All subsequent batches of chicks have not had an issue with coccidiosis even though

My flock free roams so I just feel better with medicated.

 

[rosemarythyme]

My flock free roams so I just feel better with medicated.

Either option is fine as long as you understand what medicated feed actually does, since it sounded like it was unclear.

 

[dearmeghann]

Unmedicated, I didn't want to mess with their nutrient intake. We feed them Kalmbach 20% Flock Maker Crumbles with some Chickhouse Reserve. We also bring in a clump of sod sometimes to get them introduced to the bacteria outside. Since we have the chickhouse and sod in their pen, I put out chick grit as well.

I have Corid on standby just in case, but it's been a few weeks and we've been lucky. I have their feed on a hardware cloth stand, to hopefully keep them from eating their poo. lol! Those stinkers love to kick and scratch. We also refresh their water several times a day.