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Birds--General/surviving chicken laying again - is it safe to eat the eggs?

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Expert: Abi - 3/12/2011


Question
Hi, our chicken got attacked by a fox some months ago, we think she was either bitten or clawed on her back.  She stopped laying for  while until recently.  Is it safe to eat the eggs again or is it possible some disease may have been contracted by the contact with the fox?  Help, eggs are mounting up fast!  thanks

Answer
Hello Sophie,

Yes, eat the eggs! They'll be fine to eat if she is fine in herself- the only reason I would not eat them is if you've given her any antibiotics to help her wounds. If you have given her some it's a two week wait till you can eat her eggs.

Thanks for your question.

ps. tell her congratulations for fighting off the fox !

Birds--General

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Abi

Expertise

I CAN'T ANSWER QUESTIONS ON ANIMALS OTHER THAN CHICKENS/DUCKS/GEESE- I WILL TRY BUT THEY ARE NOT MY SPECIALIST SUBJECT- PLEASE DO NOT ASK ME QUESTIONS ABOUT BUDGIES, FINCHES, PARROTS, COCKATIELS OR OTHER 'EXOTIC' BIRDS. I can answer questions on pretty much all CHICKEN breeds, including fancy and bantam birds. I can give advice on how to get the best egg production, brightest yolk colours and darkest egg shell colours, breeding (using broody hens, not incubators), bird problems/illnesses. I can give advice on all aspects of basic chicken care but I breed chickens for my own pleasure only, I do not often show or sell my birds.

Experience

I own and breed a wide range of chickens, but I speciallise in cochins and crevecour bantams; crevecours have a large crest (an afro!) so I can answer questions on problems concerning them; cochins have feathered legs, which leads to no end of problems which I have experienced! I also own a large flock of domestic, rescued 'battery' hens, and a single maran hen, Hilda, who is the matriarch of her flock, so I can give advice on how to get the best colour of maran eggs!

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