SULMET / COCCI TX egg warning ?

[chixbvs]

Long story short- free range hens, out all day, in coop at night - last four or five days, Cochin hen, Miss Lily, acting listless, not running over for treats, etc. Smelly, poopy butt, some weight loss. Washed her butt, cut out the poo encrusted feathers, called local chicken expert (also person who gave her to me). Saw her yesterday; says she is also a little dehydrated, suspects cocci (apparently common here in fall and early spring). Gave me Sulmet to put in water. (eight hens, only one other acting a little off). Bottle says not to eat the eggs if you give to poultry.

So the question is - how long after I stop putting it in the water should I be throwing out the eggs ? Bottle says for meat birds wait 10 days before slaughter. Is is ten days for eggs ? I currently have only one hen that lays, anyways- four teenagers, and three slackers, so it's not like I'd be wasting a lot of eggs- also, could I give these egg, cooked, back to the chickens (or would this just elongate the cycle ?)

I have had chickens only since April, and they have not been sick before, so I want to take care of them right- please help !

 

[Farmer Kitty]

I'm not sure how long you would have to hold the eggs but, do know that if you feed the eggs back to them it will elongate the cycle.

 

[NYREDS]

If Coccidiosis is common in your area, she has been outside before & she's lived 'till now it's because she has natural or acquired immunity. It is unusual, but I suppose not impossible, for an adult bird to get Coccidiosis. In suspect your hen's problem is something else. I certainly wouldn't treat asymptomatic hen w/ Sulmet.

 

[chixbvs]

Thanks for your reply. As far as treating them with the Sulmet, the person I got all the hens from has been raising and showing them for over 30 years, so I had to trust her judgement. (since I don't really have any knowledge to back an opinion) So to give them or not is pretty much a moot point now, since we already did.

My question is, when they are finished with this dosing, how long before it is safe to eat the eggs ?