Have you ever wormed your chickens? If so, how long after you gave them the worming medicine could you eat the eggs?
Question about worming hens
I've only wormed pullets under laying age. I used Piperazine. Merck Manual says you should wait 14 days before slaughter but does not mention egg consumption. Some people here have used diatomaceous (sp?) earth which would not require a waiting period for the eggs.
I think some people use food grade diatomaceous earth (DE) which means you can eat the eggs without interruption.
http://poultrykeeper.com/common-articles-to-all-poultry/health/diatomaceous-earth-for-poultry.html
If you use a wormer like Ivermectin I think you have to wait at least 30 days before you can eat the eggs.
I hope I don't need deworming, but is Ivermectin actually that toxic to people?
Well, it probably is toxic...but it is used for things like scabies and filiarial diseases:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivermectin
Well, I wouldn't sell or give the eggs to others, but I don't think a tiny dose of Ivermectin would put me off my hens eggs.
You thrill seeker, you:0)!
Actually I wonder about that every time I dose my dogs, since the formula is trans-dermal and I always get some on my fingers...unless I wear gloves.
Me too. and I deworm the cows with a pour-on as well...
Last summer when I took my hen in to the vet with a broken leg he was the one who mentioned I should worm the chickens twice a year. He's an old country vet who goes out to farm and treats farm animals. He was rather amused I think I brought my chicken in with the broken leg for him to look at.
Some of my chickens have dirty butts like they have the runs or something so I thought I should worm them all. I bought some worming medicine at the farm supply store and it said to not give it to egg laying hens. I read that after we got it home. I had directions for giving it so many weeks before slaughtering them too. Of course I don't plan to butcher mine. Couldn't if I wanted to. :) Now I am afraid to give them the medicine. They do free range all over this farm and no telling what they've eaten or picked up. I guess it is common in free ranging birds to get worms.
I thought it might be mites too so I put a bunch of white playsand down where they like to take their dirt baths thinking they'd like that but so far the only one using the area now are the kittens. They think it's a new litterbox. Ugh!!
I did buy a bag of DE but am unsure what to do with it. Do you dust them with it or put it in their food or what? Only one hen has a real dirty butt. One other looks a tiny bit dirty.
The "poulty keeper" link above will tell you how to dose them for worms....and I think people just mix it in with the chickens' dust bath material or "dust" them at night when they are on the roost.
Just make sure it is "food grade" and wear a dust mask if you are sensitive.
Thanks. I will check my label to see if I got food grade. I didn't know there was more than one kind. I apprecaite the help.
I think sensitivity to DE differs with individuals...and some chickens are very fussy about where they will dust bathe. Mine will have nothing to do with sand, preferring their dirty litter...drives me crazy!
I scramble an egg or two and leave it runny.... mash it up and mix with DE to give to mine every couple weeks or so.. I give it to my dog too.. Completely cleared up worms in both animals!
To put the dust in the coop or their dust bath spot? NO WAY LOL I was the one who had problems when I put it in the coop bedding for mites.. Never again.. the dust is bad enough without adding to it. I hated the stuff.. but swear by it for worm control.
I use Adams Flea & Tick spray on their butts when they roost every couple weeks for mites..
Can you cut dirty butt feathers off or will that hurt them? I just think if I can the dirty butt off then it might have a chance to clear up.
I wash them then smear with Vasoline so nothing sticks - well, except dust and stuff.