Can I eat eggs from a possibly infected flock?

[SqueakyRoseShalom]

I have isolated a hen who has worms, and I am treating her. The rest of my flock does not have any symptoms of worms (comb and wattles have full color, brown poops, good energy, etc.) except that I have noticed a reduction in egg production. Should I not eat the eggs? I have not treated the rest of the flock with anything.

 

[farmerOwl]

If you have not treated them , the eggs will be safe to eat. There are many reasons for reduced egg production, including stress, and excessive heat.

 

[dawg53]

The one you treated with the wazine, there's a 14 day slaughter withdrawal. If the chicken is good to eat after the 14th day, so are the eggs. I recommend that you worm all your chickens at once.

 

[SqueakyRoseShalom]

ok, Dawg 53- YOU WERE RIGHT! I went ahead and wormed my whole flock and 5 out of 6 poops were full of worms! None of them were even acting sick! Hopefully I caught it in time. I guess that's the point- to catch it before they get sick. Thanks, man!

 

[dawg53]

Quote:
You're welcome. Now all you have to do is reworm them in 10 days with a different wormer. The worms you are seeing are large roundworms, that's what wazine treats. There are many other types of worms that chickens get and wazine wont kill them. I recommend you buy Valbazen (albendazole) liquid cattle/sheep wormer or Safeguard liquid goat wormer (fenbendazole.)
Valbazen dosage is orally, 1/2cc for standard size, 1/4cc for smaller chickens.
Safeguard liquid goat wormer dosage is 1cc for giants, 3/4cc for large fowl, 1/2cc for standards and 1/4cc for smaller chickens.
You can use a syringe without a needle to dose them. If your feed store doesnt carry these wormers, you can order them from Jefferslivestock.com or call them.
If you use either of these wormers, there is a 14 day withdrawal period. Good luck.

 

[SqueakyRoseShalom]

Thanks again, Dawg! My sick hen won't eat unless I'm holding her and putting her beak in yogurt, but I can't just do this all day. Any ideas? I don't want her to starve herself!

 

[krcote]

Quote:
Yogurt is not your best option for a sick chicken. Try cooked scrambled eggs.

 

[SqueakyRoseShalom]

She won't eat scrambled eggs. i tried for three days in a row, both leaving it in her cage and holding her and bringing it up to her beak. She is not interested at all. Now that I know that almost my whole flock had worms, is there any reason why I need to keep her isolated? I have to wonder if she misses her friends...

 

[dawg53]

Go ahead and put her back with the others. When she sees the others eating, she'll probably do the same.