[agingchick]

my eggs are due to hatch on wednesday (hopefully) the local pet shop sells medicated chick crumb in large sacks and unmedicated chick crumb in smaller bags. So...
   how important is it for the chicks to have medicated stuff?
   how much does one chick eat each day?
   how long do they have the chick crumb for?
     and do they need the crumb from the minute they hatch or can I wait to see if any hatch and how many before racing down to the shop to get it.
Diane.

[Foxy]

Hi agingchick!
Chicks can survive for around 2 days on the yolk, a clever system by mother nature! ,although I do like to have crumb ready, as some of the chicks can be complete gannets!I do make sure water is available, in a shallow dish with peebles or marbles to prevent drowning.
Type of chick crumb is up to you. If your ground is fresh, ie not densely populated by chickens, the chances of cocci occysts in high load in the soil is low so unmedicated should be fine. Medicated crumb contains a preventative coccistat,but that, apart from unmedicated usually being non-gm/or organic is about the only difference. Hope that helps!

[agingchick]

thank you Foxy I only have 3 chickens, had them for nearly a year and the garden has only had rabbits on it 20 years ago with the previous owner, so that shouldn't be a problem. I did want to buy a large sack for just possibly 1 or 2 chicks, then again didn't want to have to keep buying lots of small bags if all 12 hatch
Diane

[darcyhen]

I've finished my bag of chick crumb and our chicks are about 24 days old and with a mum. They forage with her and they also eat the corn out for our other chicks. do they still need chick crumbs?

[Foxy]

I dont  give my chicks corn until they start on growers at around 8 weeks, as their gizzards aren't fully developed. I like to keep mine on just chick crumb as it contains all the nutrients needed for healthy development, thats just what I do though

[Casey76]

The thing to remember with medicated feed is that is is only a coccistat.  I.e. it will prevent the cocci from multiplying.  However if the chicks do get infected, once you move them off medicated food they will come down with coccidiosis.  But being older, they will be better equipped to handle it.

I couldn't get medicated food, and I've never had a problem (chicks are now 10 weeks old and bouncing around like nobodies business!

[too many girls]

  However if the chicks do get infected, once you move them off medicated food they will come down with coccidiosis. 

chicks fed on medicated crumb can still can still get coccidiosis.