Suspected Respiratory Illness (possible MG) Running in the Flock (Brought on by Heat??)

[freshfarms]

We have a large flock (75+ birds) of varying ages, from 12 week - 3 years old. Recently, I had to cull a young pullet (first time ever) because she was suffering and getting severely bullied because of her faillure to thrive (after treating her for wry neck or a sudden vitamin deficiency). Now, a few days later, I've notice at least 4-5 chickens (a roo, two young pullets, and a couple layers) with eye bubbles, sneezing, wheezing, and a huge drop in weight overall.

I suspect the major heat stress took the one over, but I'd like to think that some of my birds may have been exposed to Mycoplasma, since it's so contagious, earlier this year (after rescuing some older hens). Hindsight is 20/20 but culling the whole flock is not an option.

Started treating the few with bubbles with Terramycin ointment in their eyes, today, after rinsing with saline. Tomorrow, I'm starting with colloidal silver in their water but I'm unsure of the dosage to treat the whole flock. I have a 2-gallon waterer, a 5-gallon waterer, and several 1-gallon waterers around the run for them to have access to water in different zones. Advice on the dosage?? In tbsp per gallon preferred!

Also, any other advice (good, bad or otherwise), is welcome! My goal is to have a steady supply of farm fresh eggs for our family and our customers, then having 6-8 flocks of birds specifically for breeding to hatch chicks and sell fertile eggs. I'm not going down the NPIP path until getting things right with our flock, and couldn't in good faith start sending eggs out until an actual confirmation/test - but fear the state or ag would force me to cull the whole flock if one of two confirmed MG.

Thank you in advance for your help and guidance!!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

If you suspect MG, then treating those that are symptomatic with Tylosin can be done.

I have no idea what dosing for Colloidal Silver is.

MG is not a reportable disease, so get testing to find out what you are dealing with. If you do have MG, then close your flock for your own personal use or cull all and start over. Sounds harsh, but do you really want to sell birds or eggs that will carry disease? MG is spread through to the embryo in eggs.

Contact your state lab or you can use an independent lab to get testing.

https://www.zoologix.com/
https://www.metzerfarms.com/poultry-labs.html

 

[freshfarms]

Thank you for your input!

My next question is how do you know what birds are infected with it or not?

Also, it is safe to say that since it’s transferable via embryo in the egg, how can one really be sure any fertile egg they’re getting in won’t hatch and grow to spread MG in their flock? I’ve recently read several threads where people got hatching eggs from reputable breeders and ended up having MG in the future. It’s like a which came first, the chicken or the egg scenario isn’t it?

Since this common respiratory illness is so prevalent in the country, how can I be sure any new chicks don’t have it? Wouldn’t that mean I’d have to test all new chicks or chickens from day one on my farm, and cull if MG? Surely others may feel the same way I do, not very practical and this all feels like a cloudy crystal ball.

Thank you for letting me vent me thoughts lol

 

[Eggcessive]

If you have mycoplasma (MG or MS) in your flock, you cannot sell hatching eggs or chicks period. If any birds are left from this flock, MG (if that is what you have,) makes the whole flock carriers. MG is pretty widespread, even in wild birds, and may only show up when chickens are stressed (molt, hot weather, extreme cold, overcrowding, or changes in routine.) But you can have your birds to lay eggs and to butcher for meat for your family’s benefit.

Culling sick’s birds is a way a lot of bigger farms handle diseases. Tylosin powder for the water is an antibiotic that has no egg withdrawal, and is actually approved for chickens. If you want to treat sick birds, rather than cull them, then that is a good treatment. There is an MG vaccine available when a flock is MG positive, for new chicks. Most people do not vaccinate for MS, the other common mycoplasma that affects joints. Sorry that you are dealing with this.

 

[freshfarms]

If you have mycoplasma (MG or MS) in your flock, you cannot sell hatching eggs or chicks period. If any birds are left from this flock, MG (if that is what you have,) makes the whole flock carriers. MG is pretty widespread, even in wild birds, and may only show up when chickens are stressed (molt, hot weather, extreme cold, overcrowding, or changes in routine.) But you can have your birds to lay eggs and to butcher for meat for your family’s benefit.

Culling sick’s birds is a way a lot of bigger farms handle diseases. Tylosin powder for the water is an antibiotic that has no egg withdrawal, and is actually approved for chickens. If you want to treat sick birds, rather than cull them, then that is a good treatment. There is an MG vaccine available when a flock is MG positive, for new chicks. Most people do not vaccinate for MS, the other common mycoplasma that affects joints. Sorry that you are dealing with this.

Thank you for your advice and insight!

 

[freshfarms]

Update:

Wanted to post this as a sounding board to see if this made sense (logically and financially to anyone else, from a business standpoint).

So my original goal (over the past 6 months) has been to raise up my new chicks to be future layers and also breeding flocks (but the breeding wouldn’t start till this fall.

We are so close to the young pullets starting to lay, about 1-2 weeks from now, and I will have a total of 22 layers at that point (6 that are 2-3 years old).

The other younger pullets are still a ways away from laying (should be laying come mid-September).

If I were to cull the roosters, that takes care of the chance of them spreading it, as I’ve deemed them unusable for breeding and hatching/selling fertile eggs (due to the suspected MG). That’s fine and I’ve made peace with that.

The dilemma is this:

If I wanted to keep all the hens/pullets strictly for selling farm fresh eggs (and using the eggs to feed our family as well), then I keep a closed flock (no new birds, nor selling birds).

If I wanted to get new chicks, to have strictly for the purposes of building my breeding pens, I would need to keep them totally separate from my laying flock; correct?

My thoughts are twofold: This would be a pain in the tush to have two separate areas on my property with chickens for two separate purposes (one with a chronic illness, regardless of symptoms), and one with healthy, quality, profitable birds.

So my closing thought is this..Take the winter to grow out my new, replacement flock of layers and breeding pen chicks, in brooders that are contained and in a totally separate area of my property - a brooder shed if you will - and grow out pens, to take into account the lengthy 5-6 months of strictly growing. Once they’re grown to the point of either being able to lay for eggs for consumption or breeding for selling fertile eggs, then (and only then) I would be able to cull the infectious flock (entirely), disinfect everything, and replace with my replacement flock.

BUT, how do you ensure that MG is transferred through the soil?

Sorry, I know this was a lot, but I’m trying to do right by my birds, my community and my customers (current and potential).

 

[freshfarms]

Update:

Wanted to post this as a sounding board to see if this made sense (logically and financially to anyone else, from a business standpoint).

So my original goal (over the past 6 months) has been to raise up my new chicks to be future layers and also breeding flocks (but the breeding wouldn’t start till this fall.

We are so close to the young pullets starting to lay, about 1-2 weeks from now, and I will have a total of 22 layers at that point (6 that are 2-3 years old).

The other younger pullets are still a ways away from laying (should be laying come mid-September).

If I were to cull the roosters, that takes care of the chance of them spreading it, as I’ve deemed them unusable for breeding and hatching/selling fertile eggs (due to the suspected MG). That’s fine and I’ve made peace with that.

The dilemma is this:

If I wanted to keep all the hens/pullets strictly for selling farm fresh eggs (and using the eggs to feed our family as well), then I keep a closed flock (no new birds, nor selling birds).

If I wanted to get new chicks, to have strictly for the purposes of building my breeding pens, I would need to keep them totally separate from my laying flock; correct?

My thoughts are twofold: This would be a pain in the tush to have two separate areas on my property with chickens for two separate purposes (one with a chronic illness, regardless of symptoms), and one with healthy, quality, profitable birds.

So my closing thought is this..Take the winter to grow out my new, replacement flock of layers and breeding pen chicks, in brooders that are contained and in a totally separate area of my property - a brooder shed if you will - and grow out pens, to take into account the lengthy 5-6 months of strictly growing. Once they’re grown to the point of either being able to lay for eggs for consumption or breeding for selling fertile eggs, then (and only then) I would be able to cull the infectious flock (entirely), disinfect everything, and replace with my replacement flock.

BUT, how do you ensure that MG is transferred through the soil?

Sorry, I know this was a lot, but I’m trying to do right by my birds, my community and my customers (current and potential).

Is not* transferred through the soil

 

[Eggcessive]

It would really be worth it for you to get a couple of sick birds tested, or to sacrifice one or two to your state vet for testing and a necropsy. It never helps to make plans before you know exactly what disease(s) you are dealing with. I would do some reading from reputable sources on how MG and other mycoplasmas are spread:
https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/PS034

https://ucanr.edu/sites/poultry/files/201395.pdf

https://www.merckvetmanual.com/poultry/mycoplasmosis/mycoplasma-gallisepticum-infection-in-poultry

 

[ChickNanny13]

@Eggcessive ... Question can MS/MG be spread by our clothing, touch, foot wear, supplies, etc ...

 

[freshfarms]

It would really be worth it for you to get a couple of sick birds tested, or to sacrifice one or two to your state vet for testing and a necropsy. It never helps to make plans before you know exactly what disease(s) you are dealing with. I would do some reading from reputable sources on how MG and other mycoplasmas are spread:
https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/PS034

https://ucanr.edu/sites/poultry/files/201395.pdf

https://www.merckvetmanual.com/poultry/mycoplasmosis/mycoplasma-gallisepticum-infection-in-poultry

Thank you! Waiting for a follow up from UPenn regarding sending in multiple swabs. I am fully versed on how it’s spread. That isn’t the issue here.