vaccinating chickens

Latest Articles

vaccinating chickens

Downsizer Forum Index -> Poultry

Author

Message

speekingtree
Guest

Posted: Sat Apr 30, 05 7:31 pm Post subject: vaccinating chickens
hi, just a quick question...... do you need to vaccinate chickens before its safe to eat their eggs? i'm new to keeping chickens, just got 4, and they've started laying, but want to make sure eggs are safe before myself & family eat them. (the eggs that is, not the chickens)! thanks in advance :O)

judith

Joined: 16 Dec 2004
Posts: 22789
Location: Montgomeryshire

Posted: Sat Apr 30, 05 7:57 pm Post subject:

I assume you mean vaccinated against salmonella. None of my chooks are vaccinated and we are still here! I have happy, healthy birds with plenty of room to roam about. I keep their living quarters cleaned out regularly, particularly the nestboxes, and I collect the eggs promptly. That works for me - we eat eggs most days, and I eat raw egg products such as mayonnaise without a thought.

I'd rather eat eggs from unvaccinated birds kept in clean, healthy conditions than those from vaccinated birds living in battery conditions any day.

I would go ahead and eat those eggs without another thought - and marvel at the flavour and colour that a "proper" happy egg can have

Blue Sky

Joined: 30 Jan 2005
Posts: 7658
Location: France

Posted: Sat Apr 30, 05 8:04 pm Post subject:

Me too. Ours roam around the field at the back most of the time and get plenty of greens that way. If vaccination should ever become a replacement for "free range" then I would promptly stop keeping hens! Our hens eggs are the best we have ever eaten and we are all very healthy indeed for it.

If your hens are ex-battery though it may be another matter ... I would look further into it in that case. Otherwise ... enjoy!

judith

Joined: 16 Dec 2004
Posts: 22789
Location: Montgomeryshire

Posted: Sat Apr 30, 05 8:15 pm Post subject:

simon wrote:

If your hens are ex-battery though it may be another matter ... I would look further into it in that case.

If they are ex battery, then they almost certainly will be vaccinated.

Blue Sky

Joined: 30 Jan 2005
Posts: 7658
Location: France

Posted: Sat Apr 30, 05 8:36 pm Post subject:
OK, call me thick. I have had nothing to do with battery hens but I suppose it makes sense that they would be. Point noted and logged.

alison
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 29 Oct 2004
Posts: 12918
Location: North Devon

Posted: Sat Apr 30, 05 8:41 pm Post subject:
Day olds from hatcheries are ususally vaccinated too. We don't mind buying ones that are, but never do the ones we hatch.

speekingtree
Guest

Posted: Sat Apr 30, 05 10:34 pm Post subject: thankyou!
HI guys, a huge thankyou for your prompt replies to my question regarding vaccines..... I am much happier now. This resource is great! thanks again Esther

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Sun May 01, 05 9:18 am Post subject:
Ours aren't and we're still here after 4 years of eating their eggs, sometimes raw. The only thing I would add is I mention how the hens are kept if we ever give the eggs to people. So if anyone may be expecting they are aware of what they would be eating.

Gertie

Joined: 08 Jan 2005
Posts: 1638
Location: Yorkshire

Posted: Sun May 01, 05 3:53 pm Post subject:
As our ladies are ex-battery I have been assured that they would have been vaccinated against salmonella. Actually, changing tack slightly here, can anyone put me on the right road to ordering flubenvet - have looked on the internet but as yet haven't come across anyone who stocks it. Thought the people we got our horse wormers from would be able to help - sadly, not.

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Sun May 01, 05 4:54 pm Post subject:

Flubenvet is a wormer for use on Gamebirds and Poultry so I'd try an agricultural merchants in the area. Down here we've seen it in a few shops so it may be worth phoning a few places near you.

If you know anyone else that keeps hens I'd suggest buying a pot between you as you only need a few grammes and it comes in 240g tubs. It's the sort of thing I've thought about sending people but I don't fancy sending white powder through the post these days.

Gertie

Joined: 08 Jan 2005
Posts: 1638
Location: Yorkshire

Posted: Mon May 02, 05 4:49 pm Post subject:
Tried a couple of agricultural merchants yesterday, who aren't licenced to sell wormers. Good point about produce size, Treacodactyl. Thought I'd just be able to buy enough to cover the 7 for the time being. At least it should be easy once we've got the wormer to worm the hens - Jas is a nightmare he hates the stuff, he's had me dangling from his headcollar a couple of times!!!

	Downsizer Forum Index -> Poultry	All times are GMT
Page 1 of 1

View Latest Posts