MG Certified hatcheries/breeders?

[MacCana]

Yes yes. Apparently they had to use a new hatchery this year bc last years hatchery had a salmonella outbreak and a lot of chicks died on people.

 

[Leela NH]

This thread makes me want to get out of chickens altogether!

 

[MacCana]

This thread makes me want to get out of chickens altogether! 

Is it bc of what we said? I hope not, I surely don't want to ruin anything for anyone

 

[Leela NH]

Is it bc of what we said? I hope not, I surely don't want to ruin anything for anyone

Not anything you guys said...just doing research on MG etc and it's **** scary how prevalent it is. Just sort of lets the air out of my newbie breeder sails!

 

[Sonja73]

Here is what I have found. Even talking to the state vet's etc. People like to say "95% of backyard flocks have MG". But no where, not once has any study been conducted to verify that statement. Ask them how they come up with that number. They do not have a source. Not once. Ever. Believe me, I have asked.

I think, some head honcho at a university somewhere said "I bet 5% of backyard flocks have MG". And then it was like that old game Telephone. By the time it went around the nation it became 95%. lol Then is has been the stand-by excuse for those that have it and still continue to sell.

In all seriousness though. Before I became MG certified I had birds here from several sources. All came back clean the first time. And every time since. All my neighbor's birds are healthy. >shrug<

Privett, Hoover and Welp are all retail hatcheries that claim to be clean of mycoplasma. I believe Welp is the only one MG certified. There are options out there. You just have to ask a lot of questions, and do not believe someone if they tell you they test. Ask for the lab reports. If they are honest, they will not have any issue showing them or showing their certificates through NPIP.

Knowing a lot about a disease gives you a 'leg up' when choosing the source for your birds. Every day I hear this same thing being said; "I wished I would have known about this before getting my birds."

You are already one step ahead than most.

 

[MacCana]

Not anything you guys said...just doing research on MG etc and it's **** scary how prevalent it is. Just sort of lets the air out of my newbie breeder sails!

If you avoid shady breeders though, or people who can't give you background on their breeder flock, you will be just fine. Like Sonja said, it's not as prevalent as they make it out to be, but if they keep playing it down and selling sick animals it could end up that way. The one thing I can tell you is that you will get what you pay for, and that research always pays off. If you pay .99 cents at a feed store for chicks from some hatchery they can't tell you about or choose to order chicks for $6 each from a certified healthy facility or a trutsy backyard breeder, you will get 2 different types of chicken. It's just precautions and choosing wisely

which is easier and easier to do as you become more educated about the questions you should be asking and the signs to look out for.
Chickens are amazing and I'd not trade a day

if you ever have any questions, feel free to ask. I will try to help. Many others on this site are the same way. I have randomly messaged people speaking on subjects in threads that I have questions about and I have always gotten a welcomed response

 

[ChicKat]

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Did I read a statistic on the internet that the death rate for chickens from mg is 5-10% - was doing some research when I thought one of my cockerels had it - and blood and PCR test proved negative. Thanks if anyone can confirm or refute that % and the source, (I'm writing a short article.)

 

[MacCana]

I was given the wrong information about the chicks being sold at TSC.
I just spoke to Katie, a rep there. She heard the coworker tell it to me wrong the day I called, and was glad I called back. Apparently my word got around and people had been calling.
What had happened was that 1 flock out of their 35 breeder flocks, started showing resp. symptoms. They had birds from it tested by the state to confirm MG. They culled that entire flock.
They also fumigate all eggs to make sure nothing transfers to the chick. They do not actively test for MG, but have not had any symptoms in any of their breeding flocks except that one which was disposed of on recommendation of the state vet. This was last year. They've not had any problems since. They only vaccinate for Marek's and only by request.
I'm sorry for frightening anyone if I did. But I was only passing along information I was given that was supposed to be correct. I hope that you can forgive me.
It would be even better if they did actively test for MG. They all should. But it sounds reasonably safe to go buy chicks from your TSC now.

 

[MacCana]

subscribe:

Did I read a statistic on the internet that the death rate for chickens from mg is 5-10% - was doing some research when I thought one of my cockerels had it - and blood and PCR test proved negative. Thanks if anyone can confirm or refute that % and the source, (I'm writing a short article.)

The 5-10% sounds about right. MG only seems to really hurt the youngest. Chicks have high mortality at times. But adults can handle it rather easily. I think thats why people choose to keep chickens with it.

 

[Sonja73]

It sounds right to me in uncomplicated cases, I would think it would be higher when combined with an E. Coli infection. But we need to remember that the embryo and chick deaths should factor into the equation.