We are trying (our hardest) to raise our animals naturally, but seem to have a hard time doing so. Is it essential to feed chicks medicated feed for 8 weeks? And our pigs- the "swine feed" is medicated as well. Whenever we say we want non- medicated feed we get scoffed at. OK so I realize the animals will grow faster with all the anibiotics etc... but we really want to do this as naturally as possible. We give our animals the medication they need and worm them, but we don't want them on a constant diet of medication. Even if it takes longer to get them to the size we want. Any feedback in this matter is greatly appreciated. Thanks!
Raising chicks and hogs "au naturale"
How many chickens do you have? I don't think medicated feed is considered necessary for smaller flocks of chicks, or for non-intensively raised chickens. I know they say not to keep any chicks on medicated feed after the first few weeks because it interfers with their building up natural immunity.
Well- we have a batch of 55 chicks (we ordered an egg and fryer special) so about 12 hens and 38 roosters. They are 2 1/2 weeks old now and still separate from our first flock of two roosters and five laying hens. Our first batch we pretty much listened to what the feed people said, but then it seemed that they were always saying feed the medicated over and over, and finally at about 8 weeks we stopped listeneing to them. If I fed my antibiotics for the first year of their lives they would die for sure in a month if I quit!!! So for now the chicks have medicated starter, but there doesn't seem to be any other "starter" around. As for the pigs- my hubby got their first bag of feed the same as what they had where we got them which was medicated, but he also got just a general livestock feed that is non- medicated. We figured we would mix the two and get them off of the meds then just use the general feed- if it won't hurt them. But we are pretty new at all of this- so learning as we go. We just don't want to make a mistake that will cost us a lot in money and out of the freezer.
I fed my chicks medicated for the first week and after that regular chick feed then pellet or mash, I like pellets myself. Why would they say medicated for a year, as long as the coops stay clean, well ventilated and not over crowded you should not have a problem in my opinion.
As far as pigs, I posted here about wanting to raise a couple and I was told they don't need anything other than clean water and good food everyday.
Don't listen to them, raise them the way you want to. You will figure out what you need to do for them.
There are so many others ways to keep your animals healthy. We started with 75 chicks on NON-medicated starter. They were so helathy some built up an immunity to the poison the neighbor put out!
Keep searching around till you find the feed supplier you want. Stick to your guns. It isn't just better for them, it is better for those who eat them or their eggs, and better for the enviroment!
wish i could help with the hogs...
tf
Thank for the input!
LoarK- If you read this agian - I had a typo- no one told me to feed my chicks medicated for a year- I was trying to be sarcastic and make a comparison of the chicks being medicated for 8 weeks to my children living on antibiotics for a year. I guess the joke falls flat when you leave out one of the key words!!! Thanks for all of the advice though. We had another first for our new little farm... Our first goat-babies were born at about 11:00 am..they seem healthy and are eating!!! Wooo--- hoooo!!!
congrats!
Congratulations!
Those pigs will do fine on anything you feed them. From bread crumbs to chopped sirloin steak, they'll eat it all and be just happy. As far as for market. A god hog grower/finisher works well and we sale a non-medicated version at our feed store so I'm sure other suppliers have the non-med.