can you eat birds that have merricks??

[fmizula]

i have a large otherwise healthy rooster that has just started the begining signs of mericks. is it possible to just cull him now and put him in the stew pot?? will i get anything from this? i think i could save him with antibiotics but he was intended for the stewpot eventually anyways. my flock had gotten merricks from a few birds i got from an auction (arg!!) and my origional flock had all gotton over it and are doing great, now this rooster is one hatched from my origional flock and had not exzibited signs till now.