Is there any hope? Mycoplasmosis

[WingItRanch]

Need some advice.. and maybe comforting?

So I think my entire flock of 12 has mycoplasmosis.

Background: I got all my chicks from the same place. A little family run poultry farm that is not a fancy hatchery but has a huge selection. My first clue I should have paid attention to is that I had bought 13 1-week-old chicks and 2 died within a day. They weren't shipped and I only live 20 min away so it wasn't as much stress as other chicks endure.

Then they replaced them and one of the replacement is died within 2 hrs. I thought I was doing something wrong. I changed some things around in my brooder and they seemed fine.

Then about 2 weeks later, another one randomly died. In total, I've lost 6 chicks but the deaths were pretty spaced out (ranging from 1 week old to 15 weeks old). I got 4 more same age pullets to add to the flock from the same place.

Well fast forward several weeks. They're now 17 weeks old. I started hearing sneezing from several of them! So I did research on respiratory illness and got TiaGard for treatment in their water. Today when I was adding the meds to the water, one of my pullets was shaking her head like she had something in her eye. I checked and her eyes were foaming! I cleaned it out and she seemed better.

Then I googled... and now I'm convinced they all have mycoplasmosis. Is this a death sentence? They've never even given me an egg! Will they ever or do I just have a bunch of terminally ill chickens that have to be culled eventually?

I'm guessing I can never get another chicken until these all pass and I disinfect everything.

Note: other than the sneezing and the one with foamy eyes, they all are acting normally eating and drinking fine.

 

[Eggcessive]

The best way to find out what is going around the flock is to have your state vet lab do a necropsy on any other chicken you lose. keep the body cold on ice in a cooler wrapped in plastic bags. Contact one of the 4 labs in TX. Foamy eyes does sound like MG. Tylosin powder in the water can help treat symptoms. I would close the flock to new birds and to any going out of the flock. They may get over this, and eventually lay eggs for you. Here is another thread about possible MG with some info:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/should-i-be-using-doxycycline.1635551/

 

[WingItRanch]

Thank you for the advice. I will look into it for sure.

I do have an alternate theory but might be too good to be true..

I watched one of my Barred Rocks get dirt in her eye after her overzealous sister was dust bathing with abandon. She squacked and scratched at her eye and kept it closed for a bit but she seemed to be fine after a minute. I can't tell my BR apart so it's possible that it was the same one I saw foaming. Those events were only like 10-15 minutes apart.

 

[Eggcessive]

You can get Tylosin from Jedds.com, and the link is in the link above.

 

[WingItRanch]

You can get Tylosin from Jedds.com, and the link is in the link above.

Saving! I've never heard of this site. Thank you very much! I feel a little better. I thought it was really bad and that I was going to be told I have to cull all of them.

I will follow your advice and not introduce any more and I definitely will keep this flock away from others.

 

[WingItRanch]

You can get Tylosin from Jedds.com, and the link is in the link above.

Sorry one more question.. should I keep them on TiaGard for now? Just in case it's a normal respitory illness?

 

[Eggcessive]

TiaGard will treat symptoms of MG as well. It tastes bad, and may need to be sweetened.

 

[WingItRanch]

Ok so just an update. I put TiaGard in their water with a tiny bit of syrup (so it didn't taste bad). Instructions said 3-5 days and I split the difference at 4 days. They're all so much better! No more sneezing or coughing. And the only bird I saw with the bubbly eyes was the single BR. I still suspect that was the one I saw got dirt flung into her eye just minutes before.

Not sure if they have a more serious long-term illness like MG but they are completely back to normal. I'll keep an eye out to see of any symptoms return in times of stress.

 

[The Coop Crew]

Ok so just an update. I put TiaGard in their water with a tiny bit of syrup (so it didn't taste bad). Instructions said 3-5 days and I split the difference at 4 days. They're all so much better! No more sneezing or coughing. And the only bird I saw with the bubbly eyes was the single BR. I still suspect that was the one I saw got dirt flung into her eye just minutes before.

Not sure if they have a more serious long-term illness like MG but they are completely back to normal. I'll keep an eye out to see of any symptoms return in times of stress.

Amazing update!

 

[WingItRanch]

TiaGard will treat symptoms of MG as well. It tastes bad, and may need to be sweetened.

Hi again. Just a quick question. I have 2 pullets that have been sneezing again. One of those 2 has nasal discharge and her breathing kind of sounds wet. All are eating and drinking fine. No sign of eye bubbles. It's been 9 days since they finished their 4 day dose of TiaGard. It really seemed to help but now some minor symptoms are back in 2 out of the 12. Should I give them another dose in their water? Or would that be over-medicating them?

Also, I'm hoping they start laying eggs soon. Is it safe to eat the eggs or do I need to toss them until the meds are out of their system?