How important is medicated feed for unvaccinated chickens?

Factual Questions
1

We recently got a few baby chickens. We aren’t certain if they are vaccinated. The feed we have is not medicated. Many websites I’ve seen say medicated feed is essential. What are they supposed to be vaccinated against? What is the feed supposed to be medicated with? Is all of this really necessary?

2

Moved Cafe Society --> IMHO.

3

This explains what you’re guarding against, and seems like a pretty balanced presentation of the options.

4

Since I’m firmly opposed to opinionating on vaccines…

Yoink. IMHO -> GQ.

Gukumatz,
IMHO Moderator

5

I’ve raised chicks, mostly bought but occasionally hatched under a hen, for about 25 years. Some of the chicks are probably vaccinated, some aren’t. I never use medicated feed or medicated anything else. They go out in a ‘chicken tractor’ (bottomless big cage, essentially) all day when the weather is good – they’re fine in warm weather as long as they have shade and protection from drafts. Never lost a chick. Ever. Virtually all of my losses are young adults from predators–since I live in the woods they are hard to entirely prevent–and mysterious older-adult diseases (perhaps ovarian cancer, very prevalent in laying hens). My opinion is, the healthier, more naturally chicken-like a life you provide, the less you have to worry about in terms of diseases.

6

Coccidiosis is probably what you need to watch out for most, and lots of chicken feeds contain a coccidiostat. We’re getting our first batch of chicks this year and when I asked the vet what advice he had for me, he told me bluntly and emphatically, “Give them medicated feed.” Since I’m a poultry novice and he’s a country vet who works in my area, I’ll follow his advice—at least for this year.

7

Do not use medicated feed. Do not buy into big pharma and the government conspiracy.

Raising a flock of autistic chickens ain’t no fun.

8

This is all good information. Since I don’t know if they are vaccinated or not, I think I will just get a bottle of Amprolycin to keep on hand. Since this is a species specific affliction, I wonder how they would get infected when being kept at a location where no other chickens have ever lived.

Autistic chickens? Seriously?