Hen ate medicated chick starter-how long do we wait to eat eggs?

[msgenie516]

Hi,

Actually I only THINK my Mama Hen (a sweet BO) ate medicated chick starter because I was given the food for the chicks by the person that she hatched the eggs for. It was not in the original bag and he couldn't remember so, to be on the safe side, I'm going to assume it was medicated food.

As soon as I separate her from the chicks, she will be back to only layer food. She did have layer food available all along, but chose to eat the chick's food also.

She has already laid two eggs. How long will it take for the eggs to be safe to eat? Thanks for any help!

Genie

 

[speckledhen]

If the medication is Amprolium, you dont have to worry. It's a thiamine blocker, not an antibiotic.

 

[msgenie516]

Quote:
Hi,

Thanks for your answer! The problem is, I have no idea if the feed is medicated or not and if it is, what medication was used. So I feel I have to assume the worst (that it is the strongest, most dangerous medication that might be used in chick starter) and act upon that. In other words, if it is the strongest medication that could have been used in chick starter, how long would I have to wait for the "Mama Hen's" eggs to be edible? Thanks again!

Genie

 

[dixiechick]

usually, it will say. If not, I usually give 10 days to 2 weeks time.

 

[dftkarin]

And what happens if you do eat an egg layed by a chicken thast has eaten the medicated chick starter with the "bad" type of medication? I have only bough Agway and Blue Seal brands of medicated starter - are those brands the safe kinds?

 

[msgenie516]

Quote:
Actually, I have no idea what happens but I have read that it's not a good idea to eat eggs from a hen that has consumed medicated feed. I've always used Agway but I never had a situation like this with the broody "Mama" eating the same food as the chicks, only because I have no roosters (not allowed where I live). This time one of my BO's went broody and we let her hatch out a couple of chicks from someone else's fertile eggs, so that's how I got in this predicament. Sorry I can't be of any more help.

 

[enola]

What do people that are raising broiler chicks feed their chicks ?

Aren't a lot of broilers butchered between the age of 6 and 10 weeks ?

If you can't eat eggs from a hen that ate 'medicated' feed, how could you eat the whole body of a broiler that was more than likely eating chick starter that may have had something 'medicated' in it ?

 

[Laskaland]

There is no wait time for eating eggs from a hen that eats medicated chick feed.
When you use antibiotics- like terramycin or such in the water to fight off infection or whatever, and when you worm them, you should wait 2 weeks from the last dosage.
HOWEVER, the eggs will be fine to eat if the hens have eaten the medicated chick starter.
christina

 

[speckledhen]

If there is something like Bacitracin in the feed rather than or in addition to Amprolium, it's usually in trace amts anyway and should not be an issue at all.

 

[Laskaland]

Quote:
Yes, and they are fine to eat as well. Some use chick starter, some use "meat bird" grower. Again, this medicated feed is safe, used for the prevention of cocci