MG Outbreak?! What to expect?

K2goatsandducks

Songster
Aug 30, 2020
69
171
116
Sacramento, CA, USA
1) What type of bird , age and weight (does the chicken seem or feel lighter or thinner than the others.)
8 week old EE, much thinner and lighter than others
1 year old EE, healthy weight, healthy and laying yesterday


2) What is the behavior, exactly.
10 days after acquiring three 6-week-old chicks, one came down sick (former post). I had been putting Corid in their water for what suspected coccidia (no symptoms had been present other than some blood in the poops. One day after stopping the Corid, this chick was hunched in the crate with discharge from her eyes and nose. I isolated her and cleaned her up. Gave terramycin in her eyes and upped the Corid dose to a drench since I suspected she wasn't drinking enough treated water.
Day 1 of illness: facial swelling, eyes sealed shut, fluffed appearance, lethargy
Day 2: big improvement, more energy, reduction in swelling, one eye open
Day 3: regression, more lethargy, eyes closed but less swelling, fluffed, pale comb, discharge
Day 4: Extremely sleepy, eyes closed, fluffed, pale comb, discharge
Day 5: Maybe slight improvement
Day 6: Slightly more active
Day 7: More active, enjoyed some time sunbathing, both eyes open

Today (Day 8): There is still bits of red mucous in her poop, and she is occasionally gaping to breathe. Her eyes are shut again. She still has nasal discharge. She is eating, drinking, and pooping, though poops are teeny tiny like little sparrow poops. Solid texture with urates. Her comb is still rather pale.

3) How long has the bird been exhibiting symptoms?
See above.

4) Are other birds exhibiting the same symptoms?
Yes. 2 days ago another pullet had a runny nose on one side. Other than that, she is normal, so I just assumed she had some irritation.
This morning, however, one of my 1.5-year-old EEs was hunched on the roost with eye and nose discharge and gaping. She is obviously unwell and having some difficulty breathing. I cleared her nose of crust and debris, and tried to wipe her eyes. She refused blueberries and water, but pecked at some scratch. Her comb is bright red.


5) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma.
No

6) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation.
I stupidly didn't quarantine the three pullets. I got them from a seller I used in the past and thought we'd be okay. I am devastated and kicking myself.

7) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all.
8-week-old is on medicated 20% chick starter, drinking water with Corid.
Adult hen is on flock maintainer 16% with oyster shell on the side. Yesterday she ate and drank normally.


8) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc.
8-week-old has solid, tiny poops. Color is normal, but they still have bits of red mucous in them. Her siblings have the same red mucous in their poops.
Adult hen's poops have been normal.


9) What has been the treatment you have administered so far?
Corid to all pullets. Terrimycin cream in pullets eyes initially.
No treatment to adult hen yet.


10 ) What is your intent as far as treatment? For example, do you want to treat completely yourself, or do you need help in stabilizing the bird til you can get to a vet?
I will not be able to take the birds to a vet. I will try to continue treatment at home. I know all birds have been exposed at this time, so I am looking for insight on what to expect with management of the illness.

11) If you have a picture of the wound or condition, please post it. It may help.
I can add fresh poop pics or pics of the birds if it will help.

12) Describe the housing/bedding in use
Pullets have been on the ground during the day in a small run, and on a towel in a crate at night.
Adults have straw/shavings in their run, and house, and free-range in the garden during the day.
There is plenty of ventilation.


*****
I know I am looking at likely MG (maybe Coryza?) infection. I don't want to cull my entire flock (2 hens, 1 rooster, these 3 pullets, 10 ducks, and 2 geese), so I am willing to accept a closed flock.
I am wondering if anyone else with MG+ flocks can give advice on how long it takes for them to recover from a bout? Should I separate them? Or just accept the inevitable and let it run its course and try to provide supportive care?
What treatment can I try to provide? (I have access to 125mg Albon tablets that I can crush and disolve in water if it will help. I was planning on administering it to the sick pullet anyway since the coccidiosis still seems to be an issue.)
How long until I can expect to see improvement from the sick birds?

Thank you for any advice. I'm utterly devastated and feel completely responsible for all this. :he :(
I just want to do anything I can to help my birds through this.
 
Sorry that you ended up with sick chicks from another person’s flock. If they have MG, it will remain in your flock for the life of all birds. It also passes through hatching eggs. Tylosin in the water dosage is 1 tsp per gallon of water for 3-5 days to treat MG. Jedds sells the 100% tylosin, while other stores may not, so follow the dosage on your package. If they have all been exposed already, it may not help to separate them, but if aome havent’t I would separate the sick ones from the healthy birds. Some birds will recover from symptoms with the antibiotic. Secondary infection can be more serious. MG affects most all types of poultry, and it is common in the wild bird population. If you ever lose a bird, that is a good time to ask your state vet to do a necropsy, and to confirm the disease.

How much Corid were you putting in the water, and were the birds drinking well? I am not familiar with Albon dosage, but it is a sulfa antibiotic that may treat some Corid resisitant strains of coccidiosi.
 
Sorry that you ended up with sick chicks from another person’s flock. If they have MG, it will remain in your flock for the life of all birds. It also passes through hatching eggs. Tylosin in the water dosage is 1 tsp per gallon of water for 3-5 days to treat MG. Jedds sells the 100% tylosin, while other stores may not, so follow the dosage on your package. If they have all been exposed already, it may not help to separate them, but if aome havent’t I would separate the sick ones from the healthy birds. Some birds will recover from symptoms with the antibiotic. Secondary infection can be more serious. MG affects most all types of poultry, and it is common in the wild bird population. If you ever lose a bird, that is a good time to ask your state vet to do a necropsy, and to confirm the disease.

How much Corid were you putting in the water, and were the birds drinking well? I am not familiar with Albon dosage, but it is a sulfa antibiotic that may treat some Corid resisitant strains of coccidiosi.
Thank you so much for the reply!

The advice for the necropsy is appreciated. It would be good to have confirmation.

I was dosing the Corid at the 9.8 mL/gallon rate. When the pullet was really struggling, I drenched her with .13 mL (assuming she weighed a little over a pound).
The other pullets have been drinking very well.

I just ordered the Tylosin powder from Jedds. I found another thread you had replied to and used your link; thank you! It should be here in 5 days. I saw that Jedds also has this. It's the same as Albon, I think, so it should be effective against the cocci?

We do have lots of wild birds on our property, and they do get into our flocks' food dishes and water; it's unfortunately not something we can prevent with our location. Is it possible that my flock already had it and perhaps gave it to the new arrivals? (Though that doesn't explain why my hen is suddenly ill when she had been fine...)

Is it always necessary to treat the symptoms of MG with antibiotics? Or can I monitor and see if their immune system can fight it on their own?
 
It is hard dealing with 2 separate illnesses at the same time in a mixed flock. Treating the coccidiosis is the most important thing now. Have you noticed a bad odor from the beak of chickens with suspected MG or coryza? Coryza is said to have bad odor. MG usually causes bubbles in an eye, and can cause swelling of the eyelid or face. Coryza is more serious, and there may be pus in the eyes, thick yellow nasal discharge, and coughing. Coryza is treated with sulfadimethoxine, the same antibiotic that is used against some strains of coccidiosis.
 
I personally would cull all birds showing symptoms and keep ones that are not as ones showing signs always will be sick as theres no cure tylan hides symptoms until stress bring it back out
 
It is hard dealing with 2 separate illnesses at the same time in a mixed flock. Treating the coccidiosis is the most important thing now. Have you noticed a bad odor from the beak of chickens with suspected MG or coryza? Coryza is said to have bad odor. MG usually causes bubbles in an eye, and can cause swelling of the eyelid or face. Coryza is more serious, and there may be pus in the eyes, thick yellow nasal discharge, and coughing. Coryza is treated with sulfadimethoxine, the same antibiotic that is used against some strains of coccidiosis.
There has been no bad odor. The nasal discharge has stopped for now, and when it was present it was very clear (at least until it dried). There is definite swelling just under the eyes in the sinus area. No coughing or sneezing from any of the birds.
I did order the sulfa, so I will prioritize treating the pullets with that and monitor to see if it clears up any other symptoms.
 
I personally would cull all birds showing symptoms and keep ones that are not as ones showing signs always will be sick as theres no cure tylan hides symptoms until stress bring it back out
I totally appreciate your insight, but I want to give them a chance to battle it. They're all carriers now, but if any are chronically ill, we will euthanize them for sure.
 
Call your state lab... Very cheap testing can be done to find out exactly what you're dealing with.
It's much easier to know exactly what you're dealing with.
https://cahfs.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/tests-and-fees
Good point. We are right down the road from UC Davis, and the tests look very affordable.
Do you think I should test all the birds? Or just the ones showing symptoms?
 

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