Can eat the egg if chicken has still been eating medicated feed?

[Kataloo]

So I got my first egg yesterday!!!

It was most exciting. However, the egg was really small. The hen is a buff orpington, so I think it should have been larger. I also realized, I have never changed the girls over to a layer feed. So three questions:

1. Is it safe to eat this egg?
2. Is that why the egg is smaller?
3. Is it okay to finish up the medicated chick starter?

 

[fshinggrl]

First eggs are generally small. They will get bigger. Congratulations on the first egg. I do not know the medicated question.

 

[Kataloo]

First eggs are generally small. They will get bigger. Congratulations on the first egg. I do not know the medicated question.

I thought that might be the case for a first egg. It was great to find it. Do hens that have just started laying lay as frequently as they will when they get a little older. I believe Buff Orpington's lay 3 to 4 eggs a week. Is that how she will start out or will she not lay that much at first?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

So I got my first egg yesterday!!!

It was most exciting. However, the egg was really small. The hen is a buff orpington, so I think it should have been larger. I also realized, I have never changed the girls over to a layer feed. So three questions:

1. Is it safe to eat this egg?
2. Is that why the egg is smaller?
3. Is it okay to finish up the medicated chick starter?

Pullet eggs will always be small for a couple months. Has little to do with feed and nothing to do with medicated.

The egg is safe with this caveat. Medicated feed contains a thiamine blocker so you may consume some thiamine blocker. I doubt it's a problem.

You could finish the medicated but I would mix it with layer feed till it's gone. Now that the birds are laying they need more calcium. You have 2 choices. Continue the med starter till it's gone and supply oyster shell on the side or
mix the 2 feeds and supply oyster shell on the side. (better choice)

Now that the birds are past the point that coccidiosis would be an issue, they would benefit from a B vitamin supplement because they've been a bit deprived of thiamine.

 

[Kataloo]

Pullet eggs will always be small for a couple months. Has little to do with feed and nothing to do with medicated.

The egg is safe with this caveat. Medicated feed contains a thiamine blocker so you may consume some thiamine blocker. I doubt it's a problem.

You could finish the medicated but I would mix it with layer feed till it's gone. Now that the birds are laying they need more calcium. You have 2 choices. Continue the med starter till it's gone and supply oyster shell on the side or
mix the 2 feeds and supply oyster shell on the side. (better choice)

Now that the birds are past the point that coccidiosis would be an issue, they would benefit from a B vitamin supplement because they've been a bit deprived of thiamine.

Thanks. VERY GREAT ideas. I will go buy some today.

 

[dsbailey70]

In my coop/run outside I've got my two 'new' Partridge Silkies (approx 1yo & 2yo), who are eating Purina's Layena crumbles. Inside in a spare room, I have two 1 month chicks (1 EE and 1 BR) in a 100 gallon plastic stock tank. They're eating Purina Start & Grow.

The chicks will go outside after the Silkies have been here for 2 weeks (quarantine for safety), on about August 28th. The coop & run has 2 sections that can be separated by closing a small door. That'll give them 2 weeks to get used to each other safely.

At the point I put them all together, on or about the 12th of September, I don't know what to do about their feed. The Silkies need their layer food, and the chicks will need the Start & Grow for about another 10 weeks. I know that the chicks should not start eating layer food before they're at least 18 weeks old. How can I manage this upcoming problem? Should I mix the two feeds, and supply some oyster shell for the couple months until the chicks are old enough to start getting layer feed?

 

[Linda49]

In my coop/run outside I've got my two 'new' Partridge Silkies (approx 1yo & 2yo), who are eating Purina's Layena crumbles. Inside in a spare room, I have two 1 month chicks (1 EE and 1 BR) in a 100 gallon plastic stock tank. They're eating Purina Start & Grow.

The chicks will go outside after the Silkies have been here for 2 weeks (quarantine for safety), on about August 28th. The coop & run has 2 sections that can be separated by closing a small door. That'll give them 2 weeks to get used to each other safely.

At the point I put them all together, on or about the 12th of September, I don't know what to do about their feed. The Silkies need their layer food, and the chicks will need the Start & Grow for about another 10 weeks. I know that the chicks should not start eating layer food before they're at least 18 weeks old. How can I manage this upcoming problem? Should I mix the two feeds, and supply some oyster shell for the couple months until the chicks are old enough to start getting layer feed?

I think you should feed everyone the Start & Grow and put out oyster shell in a separate dish for the Silkies.

 

[pdirt]

I think you should feed everyone the Start & Grow and put out oyster shell in a separate dish for the Silkies.

Ditto.

Because we often have a mixed age flock, along with our layers, we never feed layer feed. We use grower or broiler 18-20% protein and just have crushed eggshells and oyster shell on the side.