Backyard Chicken Egg Study
Thank you for your interest. We are no longer accepting submissions for our backyard egg study.
For currently available testing, please refer to the California Animal Health and Food Safety Lab (CAHFS) website for submission fees, options and guidelines.
For toxicology-related questions, please feel free to contact Assistant Professor of Agricultural Toxicity Dr. Olukayode Jegede at ojegede@ucdavis.edu.
The UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine (UCD SVM) provided free egg contaminant testing for backyard chicken owners in the state of California from January to September 2018. Eggs were tested for two different types of contaminants, depending on what county the hens resided in.
Results will be shared individually with each owner, and cumulative results will be summarized and made available to the general public.
Heavy Metal Contaminant Testing
Due to the recent fires, there is concern about backyard chickens ingesting contaminants from the ground and transmitting these to their eggs. UCD SVM is interested in testing eggs from these backyard flocks for various contaminants such as heavy metals, building materials, chemicals, etc.
Preliminary results and resources can be found below:
Fire Contaminant Testing
Due to observation of high environmental lead levels in parts of California, there is concern that backyard chickens are being exposed to a level that could pose a public health risk. UCD SVM is interested in testing eggs from these birds for various contaminants such as Pb, PCBs, and PBDEs.