Beginner's mistake with mycoplasma, how do I start over?

[Folly's place]

Free ranging chickens always involves risks of one sort or another; predators being first for many of us. Interacting with wild birds can bring mites or lice, and that happens frequently here, as those wild songbirds come into the open coop also.
We have twice seen a sick songbird here, fortunately not near the chickens or their coop, probably with Mycoplasma gallisepticum, and THANK GOD neither time were our birds infected.
Now that avian influenza is here, and nearby for our flock, our chickens ore locked inside again for the future, until this threat abates.
It's a reason to have safe roofed housing large enough for the flock for at least weeks at a time!
Mary

 

[Dhkoenig]

Free ranging chickens always involves risks of one sort or another; predators being first for many of us. Interacting with wild birds can bring mites or lice, and that happens frequently here, as those wild songbirds come into the open coop also.
We have twice seen a sick songbird here, fortunately not near the chickens or their coop, probably with Mycoplasma gallisepticum, and THANK GOD neither time were our birds infected.
Now that avian influenza is here, and nearby for our flock, our chickens ore locked inside again for the future, until this threat abates.
It's a reason to have safe roofed housing large enough for the flock for at least weeks at a time!
Mary

sounds very smart and a good reminder!!

 

[frogdogranch]

Did anyone answer your question regarding whether free ranging your birds means not being biosecure? That one makes me scratch my head - I feel like a large percentage of chicken owners free range their chickens. Now I am nervous because I free range my adults every night an hour before sunset so they can shake their legs.

I plan to get some hatching eggs from this Deer Run Farm hatchery that regularly tests for mycoplasma and they say that they free-range their flock. So it must be possible but I'm sure it has more risks than just keeping the birds locked up all the time.

 

[Dhkoenig]

I plan to get some hatching eggs from this Deer Run Farm hatchery that regularly tests for mycoplasma and they say that they free-range their flock. So it must be possible but I'm sure it has more risks than just keeping the birds locked up all the time.

yes that makes sense!!

 

[CalicoChickenCo]

Did anyone answer your question regarding whether free ranging your birds means not being biosecure? That one makes me scratch my head - I feel like a large percentage of chicken owners free range their chickens. Now I am nervous because I free range my adults every night an hour before sunset so they can shake their legs.

Did you ever find any more info on this? I free range as well.

 

[Kiki]

Did you ever find any more info on this? I free range as well.

Are you worried about your flock getting MG by free-ranging them? If so don't. You are 100 times more likely to bring the disease home yourself by buying a sick bird.

 

[CalicoChickenCo]

Are you worried about your flock getting MG by free-ranging them? If so don't. You are 100 times more likely to bring the disease home yourself by buying a sick bird.

Oh thank goodness. Thanks for the info and quick reply. Could a bird have MG with no discharge? I just posted in the emergencies and disease forum.

 

[Kiki]

Oh thank goodness. Thanks for the info and quick reply. Could a bird have MG with no discharge? I just posted in the emergencies and disease forum.

Yes. I'll go to your thread and respond there now.

 

[Dhkoenig]

Did you ever find any more info on this? I free range as well.

no - nobody answered me..... I get that a lot