Possible MS/MG in incubator

[gr00h]

So there is a possibility there is disease in my incubator, my guess is MS/MG because my flock is sick and so are the chicks that hatched, my incubator was next to their brooder. What can I do to clean my incubator very well, I won't be using it for at least another 6 months also so I have that on my side. I hear that MG/MS will die after a short period outside of a host? I was thinking that if I disinfect/wash it normally and then store it in a dry place for the long it should be completely fine. Thoughts?

 

[torilovessmiles]

A good bleach bath should kill everything, as long as it thorough. I think you should definitely get your flock tested to see exactly what you're dealing with. There a lot of highly communicable respiratory illnesses.
An MG positive flock would mean that any new bird you added would be an MG carrier, and you can never sell or re-home birds. Hopefully it's not MG, but I'm sorry you have to deal with this

 

[gr00h]

Thank you, that is kind. I'm aware of how terrible the disease is and its qualities. I plan to progressively cull my entire flock and start over in a year or so. Just didn't want any possibility of it being in the incubators in a few years when I would like to use it again. What kind of bleach dilution is recommended? I was thinking maybe I could clean it with soap and water and then fill the troughs with bleach water, humidify it for a day or so, wipe it down, store it, and hen clean it again before my next use whenever that may be. I read somewhere that it does not live long in dey places without a host? True?

 

[gr00h]

Hopefully you can read past my typos. Let me know if that didn't make sense.

 

[torilovessmiles]

Thank you, that is kind. I'm aware of how terrible the disease is and its qualities. I plan to progressively cull my entire flock and start over in a year or so. Just didn't want any possibility of it being in the incubators in a few years when I would like to use it again. What kind of bleach dilution is recommended? I was thinking maybe I could clean it with soap and water and then fill the troughs with bleach water, humidify it for a day or so, wipe it down, store it, and hen clean it again before my next use whenever that may be. I read somewhere that it does not live long in dey places without a host? True?

I'm not 100% sure on the exact dilution, but it should be about the same as for household cleaning or cleaning children's toys. There are usually instructions on the bottle of bleach for different uses. Just let it completely dry, and all of the bleach will have evaporated before your next hatch.
Most infectious bacteria needs a host to thrive and reproduce, so as long as it stays at room temperature or lower, any remaining bacteria that the bleach doesn't kill should be dead by the next week.
Again, really sorry you have to deal with this, especially starting over. I'd hate to have to do that!

 

[gr00h]

Thank you. It has been sanitized and is going in to storage... For now. It is not a total loss but is a very large and sad bump in the road. When I move (and I will be in a couple years) I plan to start a new flock and layout and a bunch of good stuff. My family will utilize the eggs and meat in waves as the different generations mature and then are culled. Last night a baby turkey died, and this morning we sent him in for necropsy. We will see if my suspicions are correct about the type of disease, I really hope I'm wrong but I don't know what else it could be. Poor babies.

 

[gr00h]

Interesting turn of events! The necropsy of the baby turkey showed NO signs of disease or illness... The vet said that he may have had trouble hatching, which I remember a couple did, and something about the way different things are pulled into the body or develop right before hatch. So something looked a little off, but nothing disease related at all. Now I am getting hopeful, because the other baby chick that is the sickest I think also was one that had to be helped to hatch. So I am REALLY hoping this is all a series of unfortunate and unrelated events, I would be so happy to be wrong about my MS/MG assumption. I am hoping that my family will be ok with sparing another 105$ to take a live adult showing respiratory symptoms into the vet for a physical next week. Vet says that the medicine that I have been giving them will help with their symptoms regardless of if its that disease or not. so that's good, getting hopeful but trying not to get too excited. Any thoughts?

 

[torilovessmiles]

Interesting turn of events! The necropsy of the baby turkey showed NO signs of disease or illness... The vet said that he may have had trouble hatching, which I remember a couple did, and something about the way different things are pulled into the body or develop right before hatch. So something looked a little off, but nothing disease related at all. Now I am getting hopeful, because the other baby chick that is the sickest I think also was one that had to be helped to hatch. So I am REALLY hoping this is all a series of unfortunate and unrelated events, I would be so happy to be wrong about my MS/MG assumption. I am hoping that my family will be ok with sparing another 105$ to take a live adult showing respiratory symptoms into the vet for a physical next week. Vet says that the medicine that I have been giving them will help with their symptoms regardless of if its that disease or not.

so that's good, getting hopeful but trying not to get too excited. Any thoughts?

The fact that the turkey chick was not infected with MG is a great sign! Some states have resources to have birds tested for "the biggies" like AI and MG for free, but I'm not sure about WA..

 

[gr00h]

I am very lucky to report that my chickens are illness free!! The vet said that in our area these symptoms are common in the hottest times of summer, and they looked well taken care of with no MS/MG. yay! I am so happy and relieved. Thank you all so much

 

[torilovessmiles]

I am very lucky to report that my chickens are illness free!! The vet said that in our area these symptoms are common in the hottest times of summer, and they looked well taken care of with no MS/MG.

yay! I am so happy and relieved. Thank you all so much

That's GREAT news!! Sorry it took so long to reply! I'm glad you get to keep all your chickies!!