Mycoplasma and hatching eggs

[Waterfaery]

I asked about this in the incubation + hatching forum but didn't get much response. I think it's relevant here because it's my peafowl I want to protect and I wonder if people here might understand my concerns about biosecurity, since we are keeping valuable birds.

Do any of you know the actual odds of vertical transmission of mycoplasma through hatching eggs? I know it is a thing but are there any statistics about the actual risk and how prevalent it is? For example, if a hen is infected, will all of her eggs carry infected chicks? Does the hen need to be actively infectious at the time of laying to pass it on, or can a hen who is an asymptomatic carrier or just not sick at the time pass it on through eggs as well? I can't find the answer to any of these questions anywhere.

Secondly, once chicks who have inherited mycoplasma through their eggs hatch, how soon would they show symptoms? Is it possible for a whole group of chicks to hatch and seem perfectly healthy for a long time and still be carriers?

Some may say I'm overly cautious but my peafowl are so important to me and I want to make sure I never introduce any disease to them. I hatched 13 chicken chicks last week and they are doing great. They hatched from shipped eggs and I was happy with the seller but I know there are no guarantees. They are currently in a brooder indoors but I'll be gradually introducing them to the outdoors in a couple of weeks. My plan was to keep them far away from the peafowl but how far is far enough to be considered quarantine? They will never be integrated with the peafowl but at some point I may have them adjacent to the peafowl aviary. What is a safe amount of time before I can do that?

I'm thinking that out of 13 chicks, if they had any hereditary illness, I should expect to see at least one of them be symptomatic early on, since their systems are so small and weak. Am I right about that or is it a false sense of security? Obviously I have no idea if there is any mycoplasma in the breeder flock. I don't have any reason to suspect it, I just want to be careful.

 

[casportpony]

@KsKingBee might know.

 

[PeepingK]

Sorry you haven’t gotten a response from anyone. I’d like to know the answer to these questions as well!
There was a thread I was reading earlier today where someone mentioned that 1 in everyone 50 eggs will hatch a mycoplasma positive chick, but I’m not sure how accurate that statement was.
Hopefully someone on here with more knowledge on the subject can shed some light on the subject.

 

[KsKingBee]

@KsKingBee might know.

I do not, I have never had to deal with that. I have been told that the birds that have recovered from it will carry it but be fine, and that eggs will have chicks that carry it as well. I have also been told that everyone has it, they just don't know it.

 

[Rammy]

@speckledhen

 

[speckledhen]

You are being very cautious and I applaud you for being so careful. Just know you can only do so much to keep disease from your flocks because none of us can see viruses. You just practice good biosecurity and only purchase from breeders that you are positive have clean flocks and would cull for disease. As far as MG goes, all I know is that MG can be passed horizontally or vertically to chicks if the parent stock is infected. It is with them for life like Typhoid Marys in the flock. Not every flock has it-not sure why the Dept of Ag or whoever made that statement, but I've heard it said a few times. It's patently ridiculous as far as I'm concerned and I believe they have an agenda for saying such things, but that's another subject. I've had chickens now going on 18 years and have never encountered MG in my flocks, bought hatching eggs from several excellent breeders and I practice fairly strict biosecurity, never buy started birds or go to shows, etc.
As far as quarantine, they can't be in the same breathing space so as far from the other flock members as possible, and in my opinion, a quarantine period should be at least six to eight weeks. I don't know all the answers to your specific questions, but this page explains all about MG as well as any I've seen so you may have most of your questions answered here: https://extension.umaine.edu/livestock/poultry/mycoplasma-gallisepticum-faq/

 

[Waterfaery]

You are being very cautious and I applaud you for being so careful. Just know you can only do so much to keep disease from your flocks because none of us can see viruses. You just practice good biosecurity and only purchase from breeders that you are positive have clean flocks and would cull for disease. As far as MG goes, all I know is that MG can be passed horizontally or vertically to chicks if the parent stock is infected. It is with them for life like Typhoid Marys in the flock. Not every flock has it-not sure why the Dept of Ag or whoever made that statement, but I've heard it said a few times. It's patently ridiculous as far as I'm concerned and I believe they have an agenda for saying such things, but that's another subject. I've had chickens now going on 18 years and have never encountered MG in my flocks, bought hatching eggs from several excellent breeders and I practice fairly strict biosecurity, never buy started birds or go to shows, etc.
As far as quarantine, they can't be in the same breathing space so as far from the other flock members as possible, and in my opinion, a quarantine period should be at least six to eight weeks. I don't know all the answers to your specific questions, but this page explains all about MG as well as any I've seen so you may have most of your questions answered here: https://extension.umaine.edu/livestock/poultry/mycoplasma-gallisepticum-faq/

Thanks so much for that.

 

[High Roost]

I asked about this in the incubation + hatching forum but didn't get much response. I think it's relevant here because it's my peafowl I want to protect and I wonder if people here might understand my concerns about biosecurity, since we are keeping valuable birds.

Do any of you know the actual odds of vertical transmission of mycoplasma through hatching eggs? I know it is a thing but are there any statistics about the actual risk and how prevalent it is? For example, if a hen is infected, will all of her eggs carry infected chicks? Does the hen need to be actively infectious at the time of laying to pass it on, or can a hen who is an asymptomatic carrier or just not sick at the time pass it on through eggs as well? I can't find the answer to any of these questions anywhere.

Secondly, once chicks who have inherited mycoplasma through their eggs hatch, how soon would they show symptoms? Is it possible for a whole group of chicks to hatch and seem perfectly healthy for a long time and still be carriers?

Some may say I'm overly cautious but my peafowl are so important to me and I want to make sure I never introduce any disease to them. I hatched 13 chicken chicks last week and they are doing great. They hatched from shipped eggs and I was happy with the seller but I know there are no guarantees. They are currently in a brooder indoors but I'll be gradually introducing them to the outdoors in a couple of weeks. My plan was to keep them far away from the peafowl but how far is far enough to be considered quarantine? They will never be integrated with the peafowl but at some point I may have them adjacent to the peafowl aviary. What is a safe amount of time before I can do that?

I'm thinking that out of 13 chicks, if they had any hereditary illness, I should expect to see at least one of them be symptomatic early on, since their systems are so small and weak. Am I right about that or is it a false sense of security? Obviously I have no idea if there is any mycoplasma in the breeder flock. I don't have any reason to suspect it, I just want to be careful.

 

[KsKingBee]

It is like herpes, once infected they are always a carrier and all eggs will be infected. It is one of the reasons that culling is important to the health of your flock.