I am pondering on putting some fresh quail eggs in the incubator and was wondering if feeding the adult quail a medicated feed will squander my hatch rates?
I don't use medicated feeds on the adults during laying season. If you must medicate you should consider doing it now and after you are finished medicating wait a week or two before you collect any eggs for the incubation. Right now is a good time to medicate as most birds have not yet started laying and if so, re read the above. I do medicate but on a schedule: Before laying season After laying season During laying season (Only if needed, then wait a week or two before collecting eggs for the incubator or frying pan). Most commercial chick feeds are medicated which suits me fine, but I also like non-medicated chick starters as well so they can build up natural immune systems. Medicated feeds are a good boost and start in life, but it will also delay/stunt the immune process and when they come off of medicated feeds, they are more susceptible to any disease that it might have been preventing. Thats my theory anyway.
I personally wouldn't use eggs from birds that consumed medicated feed although I have never tried it. The main medication in medicated feed is Amprolium and some even contain Antibiotics. The Amprolium is a Thiamine blocker, some sort of synthesized Thiamine and could effect how Thiamine is put to work in the embryo's bodies. Thiamine is one of the B vitamins and a lack of it could cause trouble in the chicks. Antibiotics have been known to cause deformities in developing embryo's/chicks so I wouldn't want to risk using it either. Not to say any of this will happen, but you would be better off using the medicated feed only when needed and wait 2 weeks before setting eggs from birds on this feed.
Interesting discussion...I medicate my birds with antibotics in my feed (Chlortetracycline 50 grams/ton) as a preventitive measure. I also have to medicate for Cocci because its real bad in the dirt where I live. I haven't had any decrease in hatching rates. However, I have not done an in debth hatch rate study. Nevertheless, because I medicate my birds, Utahs department of argiculture says that I have to disclose to customers that my eggs are not for human consumption because the adult birds are medicated (which I do). Good luck! Chad
Its the only feed I can get around that has at least 30% protein, since quail(coturnix) require about 28% min of crude protein in their diets due to them being game birds. I can get an 18%ish crude protein feed thats non medicated.
The medication that is in gamebird feed is Emtryl which helps to control blackhead in your gamebirds.I have heard they they have removed emtryl from feeds because of that reason.This next sentence was copied out of Keith Howmans Pheasants of the World book.The pellets contain emtryl at a suppressive level to prevent an outbreak,but due to the drugs prolonged presence in the birds tissue,and hence to be eaten by man it has beened banned in the U.S.an altewrnative drug is furazolidone or dimetridazole. In N.H.,Tony.
