Egg recall - there's gold in them thar hen houses!

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big brown horse

Hoof In Mouth
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valmom, don't worry. I do what MM does with new hens. I don't even have a rooster, the girls can figure it out without the help of a silly rooster. ;) And wow, still laying at 6 years old? That is good news. My oldest "Ruby" is pushing 3 and she is by far the best egg layer of the bunch.

My hens and ducks have the whole backyard to roam all day long too. Cuts down on the feed bill doesn't it?

I try to keep fresh hay in the nests to cut down on poopy eggs. Only the dirty eggs get a bath and that is only right before they get cracked.

We are having fresh eggs right now as a matter of fact! Mmmmm!!

(Dace, you are so funny!!!)
 
Beekissed

Beekissed

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I think the difference in backyard flocks and battery hens is that normal backyard flocks are not usually fed medicated feeds for the duration of their production, they generally have a better immune system and they are less crowded and transmit diseases less readily....of course, I do stress the "normal" in that description.

This is why is amuses me when folks get their own backyard flock and feed medicated feeds, vaccinate while chicks, try to keep "biosecurity" measures, keep them penned, keep lights on all winter, heated coops, etc.....just like the commercial eggeries.

How, then, can they expect a better or healthier product than is sold in the stores? Could be why we see so many threads on BYC that describe these myriad of illnesses and strange symptoms, sick and dying birds, many eggbound, sour crops, bumble footed, maggoty bottomed birds. Could it be because they are in a small scale commercial type setting?

Not quite as crowded but still confined to the same patch of ground, small moderately vented coops, and even cages.

E.coli, Salmonella, etc....l bacterias that are found as natural flora and fauna of the healthy digestive system....in normal bacterial counts. When you feed medications in low doses on a continuous basis it only kills some of the more beneficial bacteria that keep these nasties in check....then guess who grows rampant in a weak immune system? Guess who develops super strains that are immune to low levels of broad spectrum antibiotics?

Guess who will probably get the blame for this recall? Backyard flocks who are "exposed" to wild birds.... never fails. :rolleyes:
 
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me&thegals

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So, does anybody know for certain if salmonella is a "normal" bacteria/virus/spirochete in most chickens?

I read about the type that now resides inside eggs, and that is pretty freaky. Some of my customers leave their eggs in pretty warm temps for pretty long periods of time. I would like to know if a bird with salmonella, or a bird laying salmonella-laden eggs, would show any signs.

My birds are free-ranging from March through bitter weather/snow. They have decent feed, no medication, lots of room, etc. Still, I wonder if I would know in any way if they had certain types of disease, such as E. coli (does poultry get this?!?) or salmonella...
 
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