Culling due to disease.

[lsumedic84]

Looking for some advise. Most of my 18 chickens are really sick. I have tried treating them without luck. I have been told one last treatment that may work. But from what I have been told its probably Mycoplasma synoviae or Mycoplasma gallisepticum. I have been informed that if the last ditch effort treatment doesn't work I may have to make a decision to cull my birds or get rid of them all. My question is if I do get rid of all of them due to illness can I put new birds in the same pen that the sick birds were in? Basically is this something that is in the ground or something that is being passed from bird to bird? Or do I need to build a entirely new pen/coop and buy all new equipment?

 

[Judy]

You might want to talk to your County Extension agent or state veterinarian office, to get the specific diagnosis, and the recommendations for sanitizing the premises.

 

[dawg53]

Judy is correct. Even though you suspect MG/MS, bloodwork from one of the sick birds can determine if it's mycoplasma diseases or not.
As far as bringing in new birds after culling your sick flock, there are certain respiratory diseases that have longer course times in birds, as well as in the environment, soil and housing can be contaminated/infective with bacteria/virus for example. You would have to wait a considerable amount of time before repopulating. If in fact it's a mycoplasma disease, 3 days is the norm that the mycoplasma bacteria can survive in the environment. Personally I'd wait longet than 3 days and thoroughly disinfect everything with oxine. Mycoplasma diseases can infect birds in conjunction with other respiratory diseases, such as coryza.
This is why it's recommended to get a bird tested prior to repopulation, then plan accordingly.

 

[Eggcessive]

Looking for some advise. Most of my 18 chickens are really sick. I have tried treating them without luck. I have been told one last treatment that may work. But from what I have been told its probably Mycoplasma synoviae or Mycoplasma gallisepticum. I have been informed that if the last ditch effort treatment doesn't work I may have to make a decision to cull my birds or get rid of them all. My question is if I do get rid of all of them due to illness can I put new birds in the same pen that the sick birds were in? Basically is this something that is in the ground or something that is being passed from bird to bird? Or do I need to build a entirely new pen/coop and buy all new equipment?

Many of the common diseases will live for 3 days in the environment, but ILT can live for 6 weeks, and fowl cholera (pasteurella) can survive 3 months. If the germ is in frozen poop, it can be much longer. I agree with Dawg and Judy about getting a chicken tested or a necropsy done by your state vet or Ag. Dept. Here are a couple of links for you including locating your state vet, and how to clean your coop environment:
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/animal_dis_spec/poultry/participants.shtml
http://www.poultry.uga.edu/agrosecurity/section4/cleaning.htm

 

[casportpony]

If you're still in LA, try contacting:

Louisiana Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory
1909 Skip Bertman Drive
Baton Rouge, LA 70803 Phone 225-578-9777 Fax 225-578-9784
http://www1.vetmed.lsu.edu/laddl/index.html

Dr Brent Robbins
State Veterinarian
LA Office of Animal Health Services
PO Box 1951
Baton Rouge, LA 70821
Phone: 225-925-3980 Fax:225-925-4103
[email protected]

Dr Mike Barrington
Director Poultry Diagnostic Laboratory
LA Dept of Agriculture & Forestry
3520 Hwy 79
Homer, LA 71040
Phone: 318-927-3441 Fax:318-927-3440
[email protected]


-Kathy