mycoplasma? do I cull? All help an insight appreciated. Very newbie

[Hunterdon_NJ_Gal]

Two if our poor chicks which we have raise since chick days at a local farm store have taken ill tonight. They were roosting with the others, but I noticed they each had a swollen eye.

We have golden laced wyndottes and rhode island reds, but its just the reds with the problem. One has a very sweet smell about its eye.

Ive quarantined. Washed eye with cider vinegar in water. Also added cider vinegar to drinking water. No food available to them at the moment. Should I offer in the am?

Is there a natural treatment for this? As my plan was natural/organic as possible, is this the time to cull? Rather not unless those who are far more informed then me say time to pull plug.

Do I go a few days and monitor?

If they over come this affliction, could they have a natural resistance which could be beneficial?


I have picures of each chicks swolen, puffly eye, just cant get it to upload though I if you can see "my uploads" I think i added a pic there.

Soo, sooo many thanks in advance. Crazy how much joy the little things have added to our life. I'd like to return the favor and bring them to a healthier state.

All my best,

Kim

 

[Erica]

Hi Hunterdon_NJ-gal,

it could also be coryza, which is sort of like a bad head cold. The eye swells when the sinuses fill up with pus (which in chickens is cheesy, not runny).

Both coryza or mycoplasma gallisepticum can be spread after the bird is well again. Apparently the health and nutrition status of the birds makes a difference to whether or not they do pass on the bug in practice. But it's wise to consider all birds that have come into contact with these ones infected. MG for instance is very often subclinical (no symptoms) until the bird is highly stressed. Without specific testing you wouldn't know.

It's a hard decision to make. I don't believe there's a right or wrong on this... It seems to me it's either a case of permanent quarantine, or pack up and start over with a clean pen. I'm not sure how long coryza is infectious (if it is at all) once birds are gone from the environment. However I wouldn't think there's much to gain from putting down the sick birds and hoping the others don't fall ill — you may be tempted to bring in new birds and would probably only see the same thing again.

Some people try to breed resistant birds, i.e. ones that survive the illness. I suppose that's an option, but I've had birds with MG in the past and haven't tried to do breed against the disease because I just find it depressing and upsetting to keep finding sick birds.

These are just my thoughts on it... I hope you get other ideas too so you can compare. Ultimately we all just do what we believe in most, rightly or wrongly...

Good luck whatever you do,

Erica