Should I dispose of the eggs???????

[TACEYPERKINS]

Hi everyone, some of my hens came down with fowl pox today. I have them seperated and they will not run with all the other chickens. In hopes to keeping it from spreading. I was wondering, does anyone know if the virus gets passed in the egg? I also, want to make sure that we can't get it from eatting the eggs. What do you guys know about the subject?

 

[chicksbestfriend]

Quote:
Hi there. I have encounter the pox once with my flock when I accepted to rehome a rooster and alls I can say, prevention is the best course to take right now before it spreads to the rest of your flock. One bird had infected half of my flock, was 20 at the time. There are vaccines for it and they are really easy to use and are inexpensive. I got mine from our chicken vet, but I am certain you should be able to get some at your local feed store. If some of your chickens are not showing the signs, you will also need to vaccinate all of them right away to prevent it from spreading. Another thing you can do to help them fight the virus is to add antibiotics and vitamins to the water to keep them in good health to fight off the virus. Lice, mites and mosquitoes help spread the virus, keep standing water to a minimum during the treatment phase and check all your chickens for possible infestation. Aside from breeding and raising chickens, I run a rooster rescue, where people can bring their unwanted roosters. As a preventive measure, I always vaccinate them against the pox since I have no idea where these birds have come from or what kind of parasites they have been around, and I isolate them from the rest of the flock for 9 days. Usually takes around 9 days for the pox to run its course.

To administer the vaccine, remove a couple of feathers from the wing web area and press the vaccine into the skin with a specially made "stabber." Check a few days later for a scabbed over bumps. This means the vaccine took. Hope this helps.

And by the way, I would in no way, definitely not eat the eggs, I was advised by my vet to discard the eggs during the 9 days.

correction made in bold.

 

[dawg53]

Hi Tacey. I had a rooster years ago that had a severe case of dry fowl pox. The hens only contracted a mild case and we ate their eggs with no problems. Where it becomes an issue is if the fowl pox vaccine is given to the unaffected chickens, the eggs must be then disposed. Also if you treat them with antibiotics to prevent secondary infections, the eggs should be disposed as well. I'm glad you have them seperated, but it could be too late. Dont be surprised if the ones you have seperated get it also. In most cases dry pox will diappear in about a month, I have seen it go away in less time as well as taking longer to completely disappear. The main vectors for fowl pox are mosquitos and wild birds. The eggs are safe to eat if no vaccines nor antibiotics have been used. Fowl pox is not transmittable to humans.

 

[TACEYPERKINS]

Thankfully the hens that got it are always seperated from the rest of the birds. Iam pretty sure I know how they got it. I had a real bad mite infestation last week in there coop house. I am pretty sure that was the source! I need to get rid of the mice that brought in the mites. Darn rodents!

So you think the eggs will be ok to collect and eat?

 

[chicksbestfriend]

Quote:
I am agreeing with dawg53. As long as you did not treat them with with a vaccine or antibiotics, the eggs are good to eat.

I have rat bait stations scattered throughout my property to help reduce the rat population. Its the most effective when dealing with rats. Only problem, the inside of the bait traps are not pleasant when it comes time to clean them out and rebait. Talk about chicken skin!

 

[Sierra pachie bars]

Fowl pox is spread by mosquitoes or rodents. Bait for the mice where your hens cant get to it. I use my cats for mice and rat control. Get a barn cat if you dont already have one.
Rodents are such a pain. If you do not vaccinate I would eat the eggs. If you do vaccinate then I wouldnt eat eggs for awhile. Someome people vaccinate for fowl pox. Some don't. I have not had any get it, but I am going to vaccinate. I dont want to risk mine getting it. I hear it takes awhile to recover from.