is it safe to eat these eggs?

[chix4chance]

Our fully grown, egg producing, buff orp. Hen swallowed a dead mouse whole. The mouse died im assuming from poison (in the deep holes of our barn that the chickens can not get to). My question is this: is it safe to consume the eggs she produces and if not how long should we wait to start consuming her eggs again. These hens feed all our family both young and old and in between... I hope my hen will be ok but im more concerned with my family at this point. Any advice is helpful TIA!!

 

[JetCat]

what type poison did you use on the rats? if the rat had died of poisoning then there's a good chance the hen will die of secondary poisoning shortly after ingesting and you won't have to worry about her laying any contaminated eggs.

 

[chix4chance]

It doesnt have the warfrin or gowever you say it in it..

 

[JetCat]

there are a lot of rodenticides besides just anticoagulants. Metal phosphides, Hypercalcemia, arsenic............. do you know which brand you used?

if i wasn't sure of what i used to know the withholding time (if there is one) then i wouldn't eat the eggs, better safe then sorry.

 

[chix4chance]

This is the poison that was used

 

[JetCat]

bromethalin doesn't cause secondary poisoning so you should be safe but i'd keep an eye on the hen in question, if she shoes any signs of nervous system problems you might want to cull her.

 

[chix4chance]

So to better understand you... the eggs should be safe to eat? Not posing any kind of liability if something happened... just saying that the eggs would not be effected by the poison??

 

[JetCat]

bromethalin isn't supposed to cause secondary poisoning which means it's not supposed to have an effect on say a cat that eats a rat that was poisoned with it, but there have been reports of it happening (although not conclusive if it was first hand or secondary exposure), kinda like a snake can inject a rat with venom but then eating the rat is not venomous if that makes sense to you. if it's not in a strong enough concentration to cause nervous system problems with the hen then the eggs should be safe.

 

[mikesmith648]

Who should I call in case of an emergency?

If an emergency situation occurs, immediately call the poison control number located on the package
(1-877-854-2494) and a specially trained individual will assist in your next steps. This telephone number is also listed on the packaging of Motomco baits.