eat eggs after vaccinating for fowl pox?

[PattyzChickz]

We had a few chickz with fowl pox, so we vaccinated the rest of the flock including some hens that are still laying. The directions on the Poxine said not slaughter for 21 days but said nothing about the eggs. Does anyone know if we can eat them or do we have to dispose of them? Can we hard-boil them and feed them back to the sick ones? They are stacking up quickly so I hope someone knows.... I've searched the www all morning and couldn't find an answer, even on the Pfizer website and of course they are closed for the weekend. Thankz!

 

[dawg53]

Quote:
If the chicken is good to eat after 21 days, so are the eggs. I dont recommend eating the eggs nor feeding the eggs back to your chickens. There is poxine residue in the eggs.

 

[PattyzChickz]

Thanks, Dawg. My vet finally got back to me and concurred with your answer. He said DON'T eat the eggs from the exposed or the vaccinated hens for 21 days. He said feeding the hard-boiled eggs to the sick hens would be okay, though. Wonder why the manufacturers labels and sites don't mention this little detail!!?! Thanks again. Patty

 

[All-American-Chick]

strange.i talked to the maker of the proxine and they had vets on staff and said it was safe to eat the eggs.
wondering now if that it is okay or not.i have been eating them but second guessing it.

 

[Covey Rise Plantation]

Dawg says in other post its ok to eat the eggs when they have Pox..I see no difference in the vaccine, afterall it is milder than the actual virus ...

 

[dawg53]

Quote:
Even when there's a slaughter withdrawal?

 

[Covey Rise Plantation]

I have no idea really, I wouldn't eat one or the eggs if they had the virus..But I see no difference in the actual virus and the vaccine

 

[dawg53]

Most chickens diseases arnt transmittable to humans including fowl pox. It seems the vaccine would be concentrated with the virus. I've eaten eggs from my birds when they had fowl pox years ago. I've never vaccinated my birds for it, but like you, I wouldnt eat the eggs since there's a recommended 21 day withdrawal for slaughter with the vaccine.

 

[Jksmith]

I was wondering the same thing so I just called the manufacurer, Pfizer Animal Health, and the veterinarian on staff told me that there was NO withdrawal with the eggs and that they were perfectly safe to eat. The 21 day withdrawal refers ONLY to the slaughter of the chicken itself. I just wish they would print that on the label and save everyone all of the confusion!

 

[LAFreewayChickens]

I know this is an old post, but I thought I would add what I've found out for anyone who finds it in a search.

Pfizer makes (at least) two vaccines for fowl pox.

Poxine's instructions say it for use "at least 1 month before they come into production," and I would therefore avoid using it on layers in production. http://www.drugs.com/vet/ae-poxine.html

However, Chick-N-Pox TC is clearly labelled for use with layers: "Laying Chickens: If laying chickens are not adequately protected and are threatened by fowl pox occurring nearby, vaccinate them immediately with Chick-N-Pox

TC." http://www.drugs.com/vet/chick-n-pox-tc.html

So if you need to vaccinate layers, I'd suggest you look for Chick-N-Pox.

Confusingly, Twin Cities describes "Chick-N-Pox" as for younger birds and Poxine as for older birds. Go figure. I'd believe the drug information sheets over their product descriptions.

(BTW, Merck's FP-VAC vaccine information sheet specifically states it should not be used "within 28 days of the onset of egg production or during egg production." http://www.merck-animal-health-usa.com/binaries/intp1069_FP-VAC_tcm130-126577.pdf)

(There is at least one other vaccine, HIPRAPOX, which includes directions for use on layers. It is not available in the US, but users in other countries may find the information useful.)