Tetracycline In Water: When Can I Eat Eggs Again?

[HoustonChicks]

I just posted that my chickens survived their first illness with what must be Coryza.The feed store guru advised me to add tetracycline to the drinking water. He must be savy, because he warned me that I should also get the Tylan before I could find the info here on this board. Only 3 of my flock got really sick, so perhaps the medicated water helped too??? My question now is, how long do I have to wait to eat the eggs after stopping the tetracycline in their water? They're laying good and it's a shame to find those pretty eggs, but I don't want to take a chance on human consumption (although the hens have developed an appreciation for eggs!). Thanks; I get wonderful guidance here, really!

 

[Suzie]

I have used Tetracycline here in France and the period after withdrawal of the medication states 14 days before it is safe to eat any eggs.

I keep any of mine ( drinking water with Tetracycline powder in ) isolated from the main flock.

The tetracycline powder also states that it is UNSAFE for ducks to drink - I would never use the medication where there was any chance that my ducks could access it.

Suzie

 

[eggalitarian]

I'm gonna take a stab and say 10 days. Just today I gave mine Wazine and I will give them another dose in a week (I think, gonna have to read on that again). But what I do remember is to wait ten days after the last dose. Seems to be a good standard with all meds. So I'm in the same boat as you looking at all the wonderful, non edible eggs.

 

[dawg53]

I'm gonna take a stab and say 10 days. Just today I gave mine Wazine and I will give them another dose in a week (I think, gonna have to read on that again). But what I do remember is to wait ten days after the last dose. Seems to be a good standard with all meds. So I'm in the same boat as you looking at all the wonderful, non edible eggs.

Wazine withdrawal is 14 days for slaughter (it's on the bottle.)
If the chicken is good to eat after 14 days, so are the eggs.

 

[eggalitarian]

Thanks Dawg! Just reread my bottle, it says 14 days on mine too

hahaha

 

[dawg53]

I just posted that my chickens survived their first illness with what must be Coryza.The feed store guru advised me to add tetracycline to the drinking water. He must be savy, because he warned me that I should also get the Tylan before I could find the info here on this board. Only 3 of my flock got really sick, so perhaps the medicated water helped too??? My question now is, how long do I have to wait to eat the eggs after stopping the tetracycline in their water? They're laying good and it's a shame to find those pretty eggs, but I don't want to take a chance on human consumption (although the hens have developed an appreciation for eggs!). Thanks; I get wonderful guidance here, really!

Tetracycline withdrawal is 5 days. Dont feed the eggs back to your chickens, they contain tetracycline residue. You'll be extending the withdrawal period and helping the disease become more resistant to the tetracycline. Toss the eggs in the garbage.
You stated that your chickens survived coryza, did you smell a foul odor around their head/nostrils area? If not, it wasnt coryza. It could possibly be mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG.) You can use tylan to treat MG. Both diseases are contageous and birds become carriers. Here's a link, scroll down to Infectious Coryza and Mycoplasma Gallisepticum (MG) and read about them if you wish. There is no withdrawal with tylan 50 injectable, there's a one day withdrawal with the tylan soluable. Keep in mind that sick birds usually wont drink or wont drink as often. If you use the soluables mixed in water, you'll have to use an eyedropper or syringe without a needle to dose them orally about 5 times a day in order for it to be effective for however long the daily treatments are stated in the directions for the product.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044

 

[HoustonChicks]

Dawg53 - - Geez, I never thought about the fact that giving eggs back to the hens would be giving them back a "diluted?" source of the tetracycline, and thus the possibility of resistance to it, but it makes sense! Well, duh, now I've gotta start over with the waiting period, but that's OK. That's why I come to this place, to learn. How about this: can I give the eggs to my dogs now? And yes, my rooster had goopy junk on his comb/face that smelled terrible, plus one eye stuck shut. The other 2 hens had an eye swollen and shut, but no smell.

 

[dawg53]

Here, tetracycline withdrawal is 5 days. Here's a link, scroll down:
http://www.cfo.on.ca/_pdfs/PoultryWithdrawalTimeChart-Mar30-07.pdf

 

[CarolynF]

Here, tetracycline withdrawal is 5 days. Here's a link, scroll down:
http://www.cfo.on.ca/_pdfs/PoultryWithdrawalTimeChart-Mar30-07.pdf

Hi, I just looked at this chart. Five days is for Meat withdrawal for tetracycline. And the note says not to be used for laying birds. I'm using duramycin-10 for bumble foot -- the pkg doesn't say anything about laying hens, so now I'm totally confused!

 

[dawg53]

Hi, I just looked at this chart. Five days is for Meat withdrawal for tetracycline. And the note says not to be used for laying birds. I'm using duramycin-10 for bumble foot -- the pkg doesn't say anything about laying hens, so now I'm totally confused!

LOL, confused? Wait til you see this: The egg withdrawal period for duramycin is 21 days. Here's a link, post #33.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/193203/crd-duramycin-dosage-for-chickens/30