MG Exposure, Need Help Maintaining

[flokrazr95]

Pretty sure my flock was introduced to MG. We don’t sell our eggs or chicks so we’re not interested in culling and starting over. My question is how do you maintain it? We have about 20 chickens total. I’ve treated with Tylosin and then TiaGard, alternating. Normally treating for 5-7 days with that being their only water source. However, it seems like once I get them better and they’re thriving, all of a sudden the symptoms show back up(eye bubbles, mucus coming from nose). Really other than that they seem fine, eating, drinking, scratching and moving around as normal. So do I treat every time they show any kind of symptoms? I feel like if I do they they will eventually build up resistance to the meds and I will wear myself out trying to treat all the time. Should I just let it be and let their body’s build immunity to the disease? If that’s even a thing

 

[Debbie292d]

I'd try treating their water with Poultry Cell every other day and throw in a day here and there for probiotics too. For one, that'll help strengthen them back up from being sick and make them stronger for any possible future flare-ups.

I'd also thoroughly clean their coops and sanitize everything, including their waterers. We have Odoban that we use, but there are lots of products that can do that. That'll help cut down on the recurrences. The bacteria can survive for days or weeks.

Otherwise, it's a disease they will always carry forever, and sometimes some folks never see a sign of it again, yet others like yourself have it showing its ugly face again and again.

Stress is one trigger, like molting or extreme cold/heat. Not sure you can do much about that, but if you can, it might help.

Also, any birds that don't have it to your knowledge actually do have it if they are in the same proximity. Any new birds added will also contract it.

I'm sorry for your struggles with it. It's not the worst thing they could get, but still, you could lose a weaker chicken or even a few that just can't make it through another flare-up.

As for antibiotics, Tiamulin hydrogen fumarate is the recommended one for MG, which is what Denagard or TiaGard are.