MJ's little flock

[MaryJanet]

Alice has been wearing her coat day and night and has been happy to roost in the "new" coop with Edwina and Pepper while wearing it.

Alice had the best time with her coat off yesterday. She was dust bathing ecstatically and preening all the old scab off.

Tsuki was less than impressed with being locked up... and ended up spending the night in the dog crate ( with food and water and a choice of perches don't worry!) because I was out when it was time to lock them up. When I came home and checked on them, Edwina and Pepper were in the "new" coop but no Alice. I checked the rabbit hutch....no Alice.

I looked in the "old" hutch. There was Deana...and there was Alice.

Based on Alice's behaviour, I'm guessing that she is being pecked while roosting, probably by Pepper. I have seen Tsuki pecking her during the day. The poor girl can't catch a break!

She was less than impressed when I put the freshly washed and dried coat back on her.
Looks like I better make her a couple more.

That's rough! Poor kid.

 

[MaryJanet]

And by the way... I repositioned the water dispenser and Mary loves it again now

 

[drumstick diva]

anything to make her happy.

 

[LozzyR]

Sorry everyone I was feeling very tearful and grateful for Sandy. And worried about her.

From one worried chook mum to another.

 

[MaryJanet]

Right back

 

[rjohns39]

Good evening MJ

Hoping for the best for her

 

[MaryJanet]

Hopefully this monster course of antibiotics will provide a cure.

 

[MaryJanet]

Oh! Forgot to mention Dr Hill said to spray for mites, which I did a minute ago while they were on the roost. Same stuff as @Ribh used.

 

[Grammy60]

Good evening MJ

That she continues to get better

 

[BY Bob]

I would greatly value your professional opinion on the withholding question @BY Bob .

There will be tiny amounts of antibiotic in the eggs. Some will be in the yolk and some in the white. It tends to clear the white first and remain longer in the yolks. The theory is that ingesting small amounts of antibiotics can lead to resistant bacteria in humans.

Whenever you use an antibiotic on bacteria a small percentage of those bacteria will start to develop resistance. That is why it is especially important to complete the full course of antibiotic even after you feel better. You need to kill off all you can before the resistance develops. I believe that the most probable cause of antibiotic resistance in humans is just this. Incomplete courses of antibiotics because people feel better. And don't get me started on antibiotics prescribed for viral infections how that compounds this problem.

So how does this play out here with tiny amounts antimicrobials in eggs? The theory is that you are not taking a full course and therefore exposing bacteria in your body to just enough antibiotic for them to develop resistance without killing them off. To say I am skeptical is to put it mildly.

Let's talk process. For these tiny amounts of antibiotic to reach the bacteria they have to survive the acid in your stomach without protection. If you think back to when penicillin was first discovered it was administered by shot. Why? We had not yet found a way to get the antibiotic past the acid in your stomach intact. In pill form we protect an antibiotic from the acid in your stomach in order for it to be absorbed successfully. No antibiotic in that egg is likely to survive on it's own and if some were to make it through, we are now reaching the point where you probably get a higher dose from that antimicrobial hand wash you are using by licking your hand afterwards.

So you asked for my opinion. Instead I have tried to explain how this all works and how I perceive the risks. I have done that so you can make an informed decision on your own.

We eat the eggs.

One last note, if you are allergic to penicillins, I would not eat the eggs. Small does of allergens can cause anaphylaxis and it is just not worth the risk.