Maybe a dumb question, but...

[PtldChick]

Why do we discard eggs after giving chickens certain meds (I know the bottle says so). Will the small amount of medication in their eggs really hurt a human? After all, if a 5-6 lb chicken can handle a 1/2cc of Valbazen, can't a human who weighs 20, 30 or even 40 times more handle the even smaller amount that will be in each egg?

Obviously you wouldn't sell the eggs, but are they really that unsafe to eat?

Just curious, I haven't dewormed my chickens and I'm not worried about having enough eggs. It just didn't seem logical to me given the size difference...

Please educate me. I'm thinking of (de)worming my chickens since their production is so low right now.

Thanks!

 

[CMV]

Some meds that are used are not cleared for human usage. Some meds can be allergens to certain people even in the most minute quantities. Some meds are perfectly safe and have been used in humans but a prescription is needed to legally take these meds. Some antibiotics have been known to breed bug resistance when bugs are exposed to long-term low doses (example- eating eggs from a flock that is being treated with antibiotics will leave low-dose of antibiotics in the consumer).

Basically, use your judgement. The manufacturer has to protect themselves against any liability, so there is always going to be warnings about withdrawal times. If you feel comfortable using the meds and still eating the eggs, then do so. But if you get a bad reaction to eating the med-laced eggs I wouldn't try to sue the manufacturer because the warnings are pretty clearly stated.

I use Blukote as needed. I use it quite a bit. I have eaten birds that have had Blukote on them at points during their lives. Blukote is not intended for use on animals slated for human consumption. I am not going to stop using Blukote, and I am not going to stop eating animals that have had Blukote on them. I have made the decision to ignore the clearly stated warnings on Blukote. If there are future health issues from doing this, that's my fault. I'm OK with that.

Good luck.