My flock has Mycoplasma! Please help!!

[pidgey]

Quote:
Mycoplasma's a bacteria, not a virus. But if it kills viruses, it'll probably take care of bacteria too!

 

[sonew123]

It also cannot live outside it's host for more than 3 days. So if you cull your whole flock and disinfect everything with a powerful cleaner ( OXINE) within a few weeks you can restart. You can also use oxine in their water and as a mister over everything weekly-when cleaning--kills the bacteria quickly and keeps it at bay. Honestly, like Elite Silkies said-wild birds carry it so it's a crap shoot daily on weather or not you'll get it again no matter how diligent you are. All you can do is try and prevent at all times. Im sorry your going through this. A while back I asked an avian vet about it and they said 70-75% of backyard flocks have it-The issue is no one tests for it-a simple random blood sample from backyard flocks can give a clue if its in your flocks. Major chicken houses and hatcheries HAVE to screen for it because it will reduce egg laying and growth-thus resulting is loss of $ for them. They are typically free of it and advertise as such. The vet said alot of backyard flock owners just cull all and restart without even knowing what the cause for their deaths were...

 

[Elite Silkies]

Quote:
Mycoplasma's a bacteria, not a virus. But if it kills viruses, it'll probably take care of bacteria too!

Yes it is similar to bacteria, but it lacks a cell wall. So, Oxine should take care of it. MG is widespread and you would have to test on a daily basis to keep them MG free if your coops are accessible to wild birds.

 

[dawg53]

MG is CRD. It can be passed through eggs, infected birds remain carriers for life. If new non-infected birds are introduced, they will be infected as well. Feeders, waterers etc...can be contaminated with it as well. It's best to cull, sanitize everything with oxine and start over when time permits. If you decide to treat them, denagard is your best treatment because isnt any resistance nor withdrawal. However, birds are carriers as are the eggs and require monthly denagard preventative treatment. You will have to maintain a closed flock; none in, none out. No selling nor giving away eggs to be hatched.
Here's a link to denagard:
http://www.denagard.com/pig-poultry-public/en/index.shtml

 

[Ozkan]

Will you have to remove the earth that they have been on in their small run or can you just disinfect it or cover it up?

 

[dawg53]

Will you have to remove the earth that they have been on in their small run or can you just disinfect it or cover it up?

Sunlight will kill MG bacteria because it has no cell wall and it can only survive in the environment for 3 days. Personally, I'd wait a month before repopulating.

 

[Ozkan]

My run has a roof on it is that bad?. I was planning on getting chickens in 4 weeks is that long enough?

 

[Ozkan]

Also there is some dried pop that I can't get of the coop and the odd wood hip that the mg chickens have been on. Will the future chickens catch it from that?

 

[4th generation farmer]

I have a flock of 53 assorted laying hens and 9 of which r quarantined bc of mycoplasma right now....other than the bubbles in their eyes and runny noses they r fine still laying eggs a s still up and moving around like normal eating great and drinking well the vet said the virus is not transmittance to humans so their eggs r safe to eat so ive been doing just that they taste the same as a prime chicken would so if u have money invested in this flock of us I advise u not to cull them all

 

[dawg53]

I have a flock of 53 assorted laying hens and 9 of which r quarantined bc of mycoplasma right now....other than the bubbles in their eyes and runny noses they r fine still laying eggs a s still up and moving around like normal eating great and drinking well the vet said the virus is not transmittance to humans so their eggs r safe to eat so ive been doing just that they taste the same as a prime chicken would so if u have money invested in this flock of us I advise u not to cull them all

If your vet stated that Mycoplasma is a virus, then it's time for you to see a different vet.
You must maintain a closed flock. No birds to be sold nor given away and no new birds added to your infected flock. No selling nor giving away eggs to be hatched. Mycoplasma can be transmitted through eggs and will infect other chickens.
The disease can be carried on your clothing, shoes etc...you'll have to maintain strict biosecurity in order not to spread to the disease to your other birds.