When to stop feeding medicated starter?

[justhenz]

I am brand new to this chicken fun and am really enjoying my "girls". My question is when to stop feeding the medicated starter. The chickens are 8 weeks old and huge. The other chick starter comes in big bags and is much cheaper.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Well, it is a choice to feed medicated at all. Many folks do not, but others insist upon it because their soils seem to produce more exposure to cocci.

Generally, by week 5 or 6, chicks get some dirt exposure. By week 8 or 9, most folks do indeed stop feeding the medicated. It is a management decision.

 

[justhenz]

Thanks so much! The person at the farm bureau pretty much insisted on the medicated so that's the way I went. They are thriving on it and I didn't want to do anything to jinx their health.

 

[HouseCat]

In my experience, I have had as good, if not better results with feeding them yogurt once every 3 days and adding Apple Cider Vinegar to their h2o. A good Probiotic supplement is great too. I don't agree with giving antibiotics to any apparently healthy animal, humans included, without good reason.

 

[Fred's Hens]

In my experience, I have had as good, if not better results with feeding them yogurt once every 3 days and adding Apple Cider Vinegar to their h2o. A good Probiotic supplement is great too. I don't agree with giving antibiotics to any apparently healthy animal, humans included, without good reason.

No problem with ACV or other measures, not knocking it whatsoever, but most "medicated" chick starter is merely amprollium, a thiamine blocker that starves the cocci and blocks it from overwhelming the chick's growing immune system. Amp isn't really an antibiotic, in that treat-a-disease sense.

 

[HouseCat]

No problem with ACV or other measures, not knocking it whatsoever, but most "medicated" chick starter is merely amprollium, a thiamine blocker that starves the cocci and blocks it from overwhelming the chick's growing immune system. Amp isn't really an antibiotic, in that treat-a-disease sense.

I was unaware of that. I was told at the feed store that it was low-dose antibiotic. It's obviously a subject i need to read up on. Thanks for taking me to school today, Fred.

 

[ChickiesInUtah]

We've had ours on medicated starter since May 9th. We purchased the chicks from the feed store on that day so I assume they were fed starter anywhere from 3-6 days before we purchased them. I figure they've been on starter a total of at least 7 weeks tomorrow. We're on our last bag and play to switch to layer next. They've had access to small pebbles & dirt for two weeks.

What are you planning to feed them next? We plan to introduce layer feed. I read on BYC to not change to layer so soon but I've asked three local experienced chicken keepers who have switched directly to layer feed. No one around here even carries grower feed so I've decided to go with layer.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Anything BUT layer. You can buy unmedicated Starter. That would be fine. Grower, Raiser, Finisher. Lots of different names, and basically, it is about the amount of protein in it. I'd feed a 14-18% protein product. But not layer. Not until the eggs come. A pre-laying or non laying bird has no effective way of ridding its system of the high calcium ground into Layer. It is extremely hard on their renal tracts and potentially harmful.

 

[Fred's Hens]

http://www.hyline.com/RedBook/Health/Gout.html


Just one of many, many articles based on the subject. The damage isn't visible, so you'd likely never see it. Of course, a bit later in life when these birds do not enjoy a robust laying career, the problems and deaths aren't necessarily linked back, in people's minds, to early onset layer feeding and calcium damage done at an early age. But, as always, the choice is completely yours to investigate and do as you see best.

 

[ChickiesInUtah]

Ok, I'll go with unmedicated starter until we see an egg. Thanks Fred's Hens!

I was just so confused when after reading up on this I went to the IFA and asked for grower. They seemed confused as to why I was even asking for it. Maybe they all have unhappy chickens!