Ok to Eat Sick Chicken?

[ChookieG]

Hi guys, thought I'll post it here cos I've never eaten my own flock before and you guys would have loads of experience having prepare your own flock for meat.

I've got a 1 year old hen who's sick. She's had diarrhea for months and just yesterday has been shaking/flicking her head and looking really lethargic - lying down most of the day and not eating much. I'm thinking of euthanizing her soon if she doesn't get any better but was wondering whether it's ok to eat her since she's sick. It'll be a waste of possible good edible source of protein if I was gonna just bury her.

Thanks.

 

[Folly's place]

Bury her!!!
She will enrich the ground, and not possibly make you all sick. It's just not worth the risk!
Mary

 

[ChookieG]

Bury her!!!
She will enrich the ground, and not possibly make you all sick. It's just not worth the risk!
Mary

thanks!

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Without knowing what she is sick of, dispatch, burn, bury. Wash yourself well. At least she will compost well and enrich the garden.

Diarrhea is a key sign of illness in birds, and should be investigated/treated as soon as it appears. Honestly, chicken poop is one of the most reliable indicators of bird health, then behavior, then body condition.

 

[ChookieG]

Without knowing what she is sick of, dispatch, burn, bury. Wash yourself well. At least she will compost well and enrich the garden.

Diarrhea is a key sign of illness in birds, and should be investigated/treated as soon as it appears. Honestly, chicken poop is one of the most reliable indicators of bird health, then behavior, then body condition.

Don't get me wrong.. I have attempted to remedy the diarrhea as soon as it occurred. The treatment worked for 4 days but it resurged. It has been an ongoing problem since.

Thanks for your reply.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Don't get me wrong.. I have attempted to remedy the diarrhea as soon as it occurred. The treatment worked for 4 days but it resurged. It has been an ongoing problem since.

Thanks for your reply.

Noted - thanks. Never know what the experience level is with a BYC poster, or what their information sources were prior to coming here.

Any other chickens affected, or just the one? and what are you feeding her/them?

 

[ChookieG]

Noted - thanks. Never know what the experience level is with a BYC poster, or what their information sources were prior to coming here.

Any other chickens affected, or just the one? and what are you feeding her/them?

No my other 3 hens don't have diarrhea but 2 others are exhibiting other illnesses - coughing with one and sour crop & scattered stools the other. The sour crop is under control as long as I don't feed her greens that's longer than 1.5-2 inches. They are from the same breeder. My Roo was perfectly fine (he passed away a couple weeks ago due to a dog attack) and he was from another breeder. If I have to make an educated guess, it's probably due to the breeder. My 7-week old chicks are thriving so I don't think it's due to their food or environment.

My girls are on pullet feed as I have a mixed flock but I also provide them access to sea shells for extra calcium, some layer pellets, a handful of scratch per day, and 2-quart equivalent of fresh mixed wild greens (may include grass, sow-thistle, mint, catsears, dandelion, chickweed). 50% of the pullet and scratch feed is lacto-fermented.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

No my other 3 hens don't have diarrhea but 2 others are exhibiting other illnesses - coughing with one and sour crop & scattered stools the other. The sour crop is under control as long as I don't feed her greens that's longer than 1.5-2 inches. They are from the same breeder. My Roo was perfectly fine (he passed away a couple weeks ago due to a dog attack) and he was from another breeder. If I have to make an educated guess, it's probably due to the breeder. My 7-week old chicks are thriving so I don't think it's due to their food or environment.

My girls are on pullet feed as I have a mixed flock but I also provide them access to sea shells for extra calcium, some layer pellets, a handful of scratch per day, and 2-quart equivalent of fresh mixed wild greens (may include grass, sow-thistle, mint, catsears, dandelion, chickweed). 50% of the pullet and scratch feed is lacto-fermented.

too many variables for me to sort out. I wish you and your flock all the best

 

[ChookieG]

too many variables for me to sort out. I wish you and your flock all the best

that's cool...I know, it's complicated. I reckon it's best for me to start all over again with a new flock - hence the chicks. That way I have better control. I'm definitely not gonna buy more chickens from that breeder that's for sure.

Thanks for your contribution.