Bought chicks that come from a flock with mereks and upper respitory disease

[PETERKAY012]

Okay so I bought chicks that were mixed colored silkies for $3 a piece from someone who bred them and I don't usually spend that much if they aren't vaccinated, but that was the only place I could find silkies. This person came out and said their flock had mereks disease and mycoplasma synoviae. I looked them up and they both look pretty bad. Like I had said, the chicks weren't vaccinated so I am worried about them carrying it. The rest of the flock is vaccinated except for 3 roosters I had just bought but they all seem to be healthy. I also bought two turkens mixes and put them with my silkies so I think they would be exposed to? I'm not a chicken expert but I don't know what to do with the chicks that could have it. Should I give them all away and start over again with vaccinated birds? Our hatcheries are getting chicks soon so I would like to act fast and get the new birds I want. I've had them for about 1-2 months and I have had one die because it was almost gasping for air and there was nothing in it's crop so I think it had the upper respitory disease whose name is above. The breeder has told everyone who she sold chicks to to stop asking if they have it

 

[Eggcessive]

If your other chickens have been exposed to them, they are all carriers now. It helps to quarantine any new chickens for a month or longer, to look for signs of illness. Giving them away will only spread these diseases more. You should close your flock to birds going in or out of your flock. Or cull (kill) the birds who are sick or which you don't want to keep. Mycoplasma synovitis is a disease that causes bacterial arthritis in chickens and sometimes mild respiratory symptoms. It is very contagious, and will make carriers of the whole flock for life until all birds are gone. It lasts in the environment and equipment for several days after birds are not there. Sometimes flocks wih MS may slo have MG, the more serious respiratory disease. Mareks is spread in feather dust and dander, and once it gets into your environment, it can last for months or up to 7 years. Any chicken exposed will be a carrier for life, but if they have been vaccinated successfully, may not get the disease symptoms. Unfortunately, you're not alone in trying to get different breeds, and then finding out you have a carrier disease now in your flock. With most diseases except Mareks, once all birds have died, then after waiting for several weeks, one can get new healthy birds. But with Mareks, only birds vaccinated and kept free of the environment for 3 weeks have a chance to not have the disease, but will still be carriers. Sorry for being long winded. Here is some reading with info about both diseases:
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/diseaseinfo/99/mycoplasma-synoviae-infection-ms-infectious-synovitis/
https://extension.unh.edu/resources/files/Resource000791_Rep813.pdf
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq

 

[PETERKAY012]

If your other chickens have been exposed to them, they are all carriers now. It helps to quarantine any new chickens for a month or longer, to look for signs of illness. Giving them away will only spread these diseases more. You should close your flock to birds going in or out of your flock. Or cull (kill) the birds who are sick or which you don't want to keep. Mycoplasma synovitis is a disease that causes bacterial arthritis in chickens and sometimes mild respiratory symptoms. It is very contagious, and will make carriers of the whole flock for life until all birds are gone. It lasts in the environment and equipment for several days after birds are not there.  Sometimes flocks wih MS may slo have MG, the more serious respiratory disease. Mareks is spread in feather dust and dander, and once it gets into your environment, it can last for months or up to 7 years. Any chicken exposed will be a carrier for life, but if they have been vaccinated successfully, may not get the disease symptoms. Unfortunately, you're not alone in trying to get different breeds, and then finding out you have a carrier disease now in your flock. With most diseases except Mareks, once all birds have died, then after waiting for several weeks, one can get new healthy birds. But with Mareks, only birds vaccinated and kept free of the environment for 3 weeks have a chance to not have the disease, but will still be carriers. Sorry for being long winded. Here is some reading with info about both diseases:
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/diseaseinfo/99/mycoplasma-synoviae-infection-ms-infectious-synovitis/
https://extension.unh.edu/resources/files/Resource000791_Rep813.pdf
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq

Thank you, that was very helpful. So pretty much, I shouldn't add these chicks to the rest of my flock? They are in our garage together and my flock is out in a big shed that we converted to a coop

 

[PETERKAY012]

Can I treat for the mycoplasma sinoviae if I'm not sure if they have it? Like can I treat my flock and the chicks that are carriers and will they all be fine?

 

[Eggcessive]

Thank you, that was very helpful. So pretty much, I shouldn't add these chicks to the rest of my flock? They are in our garage together and my flock is out in a big shed that we converted to a coop

Can I treat for the mycoplasma sinoviae if I'm not sure if they have it? Like can I treat my flock and the chicks that are carriers and will they all be fine?

I would not add chicks to my flock who may be carriers for either of those things. Tylan 50 injectable can be used to treat symptoms if they have any, but the disease will always be lying in wait in their bodies and can come back whenever they are stressed, such as during a molt, or especially in cold weather. Tylan will not prevent them from being carriers. There would be no reason to treat them unless they have swollen joints or lameness symptoms. Your chickens may never ever get sick, but I would not take the risk if you have heard they have those diseases in the seller's flock. The more important issue is the possibility of the chicks being carriers of Mareks, since you can't clean or disinfect for it. With MS, it would no longer be a problem after a few days, since the bacteria cannot live outside the body for more than that. I hope this helps. I'm not a vet, but I enjoy reading a lot about chickens. This just seems to happen a lot since some people who have rare breed chickens will try to sell carrier birds to make money. Some may just not know how dangerous this is, but I think some are aware and just shysters. I'm very glad to help you find any other answers you need.

 

[PETERKAY012]

So what do I do with all of them? I have 9 and I spend like $40 on all of them. I don't want to loose all that money but I incubate my eggs and so I can't have diseases in my flock. I don't want to kill them either but I don't have another pen for them. I was so excited about my silkies