MG and treating the "Chronic Sneezer"

[Palogal]

I was hoping I might draw upon your expertise with chickens and CRD. I unknowingly introduced CRD to my flock pretty early in my chicken raising experience (about 4 months into the first year) and I am now on year 3 of chicken crazy. I was able to get a positive MG result back from a cockerel last year, so I know what I am dealing with. The girls who recover from it are about 95% asymptomatic, while the remaining birds (at this time, 2 out of 25), have an occasional to moderate sneeze and no other symptoms. Egg production has been unaffected in recovered birds. My only losses have been about 1 month after introducing young pullets (even though I have vaccinated for MG, I suspect the strain I have is not in the vaccine)--slightly more than half of these young birds get severe pneumonia. Treating with Oxytetracycline and Tylosin (if caught early) turns them around. The flock they are going into (even though asymptomatic) is treated with Denaguard (1 TB/gallon) for 5 days each month. My next management "tweek" will be sure to do this the first week that new pullets transition to the main flock. My issue is with the two hens who are still "snicking". One girl is still separated from the flock. She won the award for sickest bird to survive after the following treatment (she first showed symptoms in early September)
9/18 -28 Daily 1cc shot, alternating between LA 200 and Tylan
9/29-10/13 No medication
10/14-18 Denegard 1 T gallon
10/19-10/27 Baytril 10 .25 x2 daukt
10/28-11/6 Amtyl 1/2t per 8 oz
She is eating great, laying daily, and is a BCM that weighs 5 1/4 lbs....and is still sneezing. Where do I go now? Thank you for any insights!

 

[dawg53]

As you probably know by now, there is no cure for MG. There are different strains, mild to severe strains. MG can accompany other diseases such as Coryza, Infectious Laryngotracheitis (ILT) and Infectious Bronchitis (IB.) There are plenty of treatments and from what I see, you've given top of the line treatments in Tylan, Baytril and Denagard. It doesnt get any better than that.

All your infected birds will remain carriers for life. If you introduce new birds to your existing flock, the newbies will become infected. If you hatch eggs, the disease passes through eggs into the chick, if it survives.

Anytime your birds are stressed, symptoms will reappear. Each time you give them an antibiotic, the bacteria will become more resistant to that particular antibiotic. Eventually the antibiotic will be ineffective, and the same will happen with stronger and more powerful antibiotics. I think possibly this is where your sneezing BCM comes into play.

However, there is no bacterial resistance to Denagard and no egg withdrawal. There is a 3 day slaughter withdrawal.
Continue to give monthly treatments using Denagard. This is going to be long term treatment for the rest of your birds lives.
The only other option you have is to cull your sick flock and use activated Oxine to disinfect everything including inside coops, feeders, waterers, nest boxes, roosts etc...
Dont worry about chicken pens because MG can only survive in the environment for 3 days, sunlight will take care of the MG bacteria. To be on the safe side, you could repopulate in a two weeks with new birds.