Egg Withdrawal Period Question

[GaDawgChic]

Does anyone know what the egg withdrawal period is for Carprofen (Rimadyl)? She has not had any since last Monday so she's been a week without it. I'm wondering if I really have to throw her eggs away for another 5 weeks. That just seems like such a long time when she was only on it for 4 days (25mg/day). I can't seem to find any answers anywhere. I'm thinking the vet was being really super conservative and just gave the 6 weeks timeframe to be on the safe side.

She has healed enough to be ready to go back out to the coop again in the next couple of days but I don't know how I will tell her eggs apart from the other 3 girls' eggs. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to tell which egg she lays without watching them all the time and going out to the coop every time I see one not in the run?

 

[DobieLover]

Does anyone know what the egg withdrawal period is for Carprofen (Rimadyl)? She has not had any since last Monday so she's been a week without it. I'm wondering if I really have to throw her eggs away for another 5 weeks. That just seems like such a long time when she was only on it for 4 days (25mg/day). I can't seem to find any answers anywhere. I'm thinking the vet was being really super conservative and just gave the 6 weeks timeframe to be on the safe side.

She has healed enough to be ready to go back out to the coop again in the next couple of days but I don't know how I will tell her eggs apart from the other 3 girls' eggs. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to tell which egg she lays without watching them all the time and going out to the coop every time I see one not in the run?

I would imagine that Carprofen is a drug that a study never would have been done on for egg withdrawal. Why was it prescribed?
One of the most common withdrawal periods for medications is 30 days after the last dose when a withdrawal period has not be scientifically determined via analysis of the eggs in a controlled study.
Do determine which egg is hers you can smear lipstick around her vent so it marks the egg when she lays. Get a color other than red.
Don't forget to do a "look don't touch" integration with her. If she's been gone from the flock for more than a week, she may not be welcome to just jump back in.

 

[GaDawgChic]

I would imagine that Carprofen is a drug that a study never would have been done on for egg withdrawal. Why was it prescribed?
One of the most common withdrawal periods for medications is 30 days after the last dose when a withdrawal period has not be scientifically determined via analysis of the eggs in a controlled study.
Do determine which egg is hers you can smear lipstick around her vent so it marks the egg when she lays. Get a color other than red.
Don't forget to do a "look don't touch" integration with her. If she's been gone from the flock for more than a week, she may not be welcome to just jump back in.

She (Grace) was given that for pain. I had one who pulled everyone's vent feathers out and she's the one that got pecked really bad. When I found her she was in the coop with blood all over her back end just below the vent. She had been pecked so bad it had gone through skin and some muscle. I really think if I had not found her when I did she would not have made it. Dixie (the pecker) had also started in on the other 2 girls (Bindi and Terri) as well but I caught things before they were completely out of control. I had those 2 in their own crates inside as well and Dixie was left in the coop by herself. I really wanted to know if she did all that pecking because she was establishing a pecking order or there was another reason. She always seemed to be the docile one and none of my 4 girls have ever had any beef with each other. I initially thought it might have been a skin reaction from that First Saturday Lime stuff that caused an issue and she just took up the opportunity to peck. I had never used that before and tried it out to repel the ants and geckos. My girls all sit on the floor of the coop to sleep huddled together or near each other. They never have slept on the roosting bar. That's why I was thinking it was the FSL stuff that could have caused the irritation. Some folks on here said that if there is a lack of protein, they will pull the vent feathers and eat them from the other hens. That is what Dixie was doing so I am leaning more towards that was what the problem was. I changed their food to a higher protein percentage and one that helps their feathers come back a little faster. Once they come back in, I will change the feed once more to a 20% protein in hopes that this won't happen again. I also won't put that FSL stuff inside again, just on the outside around the run and coop.

Lipstick around her vent is an interesting idea! Do you have to apply the lipstick every day or should it last for a couple of days? I'm assuming her egg will come out and the lipstick will be on the egg.

Oh I will be very cautious bringing her back in. I slowly tested the waters when I let the 2 back in with Dixie, prior to putting on the peepers. Dixie was totally fine with them and was not bothered by them at all. She never tried to say she was the boss or anything. It was actually Bindi who noticed the open area on Terri and got curious so I sprayed her with water every time she did it but she never really stopped doing it all together. I ended up bringing them back inside and ordering the peepers after that because I can't just sit out at the chicken coop and watch chickens all day, no matter how much I would prefer that! The 3 in the coop have the peepers on now and feathers are starting to come back in. I will see how Grace does when I ease her back in. I'm not going through all this again so I will not leave her in there for 1 second if I think there will be a problem. I'm hoping with the peepers there won't be. Once I take those off though I will be watching them like a hawk!

 

[DobieLover]

I really wanted to know if she did all that pecking because she was establishing a pecking order or there was another reason.

You could also have a space issue and/or boredom. Please post pictures of your entire setup. What breed(s) are your girls? How old are they?

Do you have to apply the lipstick every day or should it last for a couple of days?

I don't know. I've never had the need to try it out.

 

[GaDawgChic]

You could also have a space issue and/or boredom. Please post pictures of your entire setup. What breed(s) are your girls? How old are they?

I am pretty sure boredom may have played a part in it too. I made another post here when it all first happened. Here is the link to that post. It will answer all of your questions and it also has some pictures too.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/badly-pecked-hen-need-advice.1545272/

 

[DobieLover]

I am pretty sure boredom may have played a part in it too. I made another post here when it all first happened. Here is the link to that post. It will answer all of your questions and it also has some pictures too.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/badly-pecked-hen-need-advice.1545272/

Have you added anything to the run like old wooden stools, branches mounted to the corners for perching on, stumps, pallets leaning against the wall, anything like that? It looks very boring in there for a chicken.