Mycoplasma Flare-Up

[The Welch Chickens]

In June 2024, I had a few chickens showing symptoms of mycoplasma, including some respiratory issues, sneezing, and one bubbly eye. It was too late to separate anyone when I discovered this, so I decided to simply keep my infected flock clean and isolated, as well as not get any more chickens at this time. The flare-up was stopped using Doxy-Tyl treatment and some natural antibiotic herbs. No bird became seriously ill, and I suspect the flare-up was due to stress since we had some rooster issues at the time. (Please note that lab tests were not done, but it was identified as likely mycoplasma through my own observation and the opinions on this forum.)

Yesterday I found one hen with a bubbly eye, and started Doxy-Tyl immediately (along with antibiotic herbs). Today the bubbly eye is normal again and the whole flock looks fine.
I’m not sure if it’s a stress related issue this time, but we have had snowy weather and the flock is a bit restless and agitated from not getting their normal free-range time. Today is warm and sunny, so they seem happy…perhaps that explains the recovery? Or maybe the bubbly eye was not a mycoplasma flare-up, but something else entirely?

Hopefully I have the right view of this issue, if that makes sense—I’m trying to understand the method of keeping a flock that’s infected with mycoplasma after reading lots of threads and articles today.

Anyway, my question is: should I continue to treat for the full 5-7 days?

 

[FowlProtector]

It sounds like you've been very attentive and proactive in managing your flock's health. Given your experience with mycoplasma flare-ups and your careful treatment approach, here are a few things to consider:

1. Treatment Duration: Even though the bubbly eye cleared up quickly, it’s still a good idea to continue the full course of treatment for the 5-7 days. This ensures that any remaining bacteria are fully addressed, reducing the risk of a relapse or spreading to other birds.
2. Observing for Other Symptoms: Since your flock is currently looking healthy and the condition improved quickly, it’s possible that the bubbly eye wasn’t a mycoplasma flare-up. It could also have been caused by something else like a mild irritation, environmental factors, or even a brief viral infection. Keep an eye out for other symptoms like wheezing, sneezing, or nasal discharge, which would suggest that it’s more than just environmental stress.
3. Managing Stress: It’s wise to consider the possibility that the snowy weather and restlessness might have been contributing factors. Stress can certainly trigger flare-ups of latent infections like mycoplasma, but your immediate action to treat and then restore their environment (e.g., with more free-range time) seems to have helped.
4. Prevention: If this turns out to be a mycoplasma issue, managing the flock in a way that reduces stress will be important moving forward. Keeping their living environment as stable as possible and avoiding sudden changes (e.g., new flock members, changes in weather, or routines) can help prevent future flare-ups.

In summary, continuing the treatment for the full duration would be safest, but keep monitoring your flock. It sounds like you’re on top of things, and hopefully, it’s just a brief and isolated issue!

 

[The Welch Chickens]

It sounds like you've been very attentive and proactive in managing your flock's health. Given your experience with mycoplasma flare-ups and your careful treatment approach, here are a few things to consider:

1. Treatment Duration: Even though the bubbly eye cleared up quickly, it’s still a good idea to continue the full course of treatment for the 5-7 days. This ensures that any remaining bacteria are fully addressed, reducing the risk of a relapse or spreading to other birds.
2. Observing for Other Symptoms: Since your flock is currently looking healthy and the condition improved quickly, it’s possible that the bubbly eye wasn’t a mycoplasma flare-up. It could also have been caused by something else like a mild irritation, environmental factors, or even a brief viral infection. Keep an eye out for other symptoms like wheezing, sneezing, or nasal discharge, which would suggest that it’s more than just environmental stress.
3. Managing Stress: It’s wise to consider the possibility that the snowy weather and restlessness might have been contributing factors. Stress can certainly trigger flare-ups of latent infections like mycoplasma, but your immediate action to treat and then restore their environment (e.g., with more free-range time) seems to have helped.
4. Prevention: If this turns out to be a mycoplasma issue, managing the flock in a way that reduces stress will be important moving forward. Keeping their living environment as stable as possible and avoiding sudden changes (e.g., new flock members, changes in weather, or routines) can help prevent future flare-ups.

In summary, continuing the treatment for the full duration would be safest, but keep monitoring your flock. It sounds like you’re on top of things, and hopefully, it’s just a brief and isolated issue!

Thanks for replying!

 

[Eggcessive]

Are you treating just the chicken with the symptoms? MG (mycoplasma gallisepticum) symptoms, especially the foamy eye, can come and go. I would only treat the one with symptoms if possible because you don’t want them to develop antibiotic resistance, and have it not work next time. A wire dog crate with food and water inside the coop or run is a good way to medicate just her.

 

[The Welch Chickens]

Are you treating just the chicken with the symptoms? MG (mycoplasma gallisepticum) symptoms, especially the foamy eye, can come and go. I would only treat the one with symptoms if possible because you don’t want them to develop antibiotic resistance, and have it not work next time. A wire dog crate with food and water inside the coop or run is a good way to medicate just her.

Thanks for replying.
I am treating the whole flock. It’s been two days so far. As far as antibiotic resistance, they’ve only been treated with Doxy-Tyl once before…if that makes any difference.

Do you still think I should separate even though I have already done two days? I can set up the crate either in the coop or in the house…I have done it several times so it shouldn’t be an issue, although this particular hen is very shy and relatively impossible to pick up. I could probably make do with “shooing” her into the cage if it’s in the coop.

 

[Eggcessive]

I don’t recommend giving antibiotics to hens who are not having symptoms. There is an egg withdrawal time with doxycycline, but not oral tylosin. It says 14 days here in this study:
https://www.researchgate.net/public...eggs_after_oral_administration_to_laying_hens

 

[The Welch Chickens]

I don’t recommend giving antibiotics to hens who are not having symptoms. There is an egg withdrawal time with doxycycline, but not oral tylosin. It says 14 days here in this study:
https://www.researchgate.net/public...eggs_after_oral_administration_to_laying_hens

This is what I treated with before, and I’m using the leftover now…https://www.mikesfalconry.com/produ...4-dM2zZhqnfbjupTwf9RTwR-afXbUYanioFu0EbU2p9gC

I am doing an egg withdrawal so far.

 

[The Welch Chickens]

I don’t recommend giving antibiotics to hens who are not having symptoms.

That makes sense.

So you would simply cage the hen and continue with the meds, while switching back to plain water for the rest of the flock?

 

[casportpony]

That makes sense.

So you would simply cage the hen and continue with the meds, while switching back to plain water for the rest of the flock?

That's what I would do.

 

[Eggcessive]

That makes sense.

So you would simply cage the hen and continue with the meds, while switching back to plain water for the rest of the flock?

Yes. The drug will be more effective when one gets a relapse. Plus you won’t need to discard eggs on all of them. You can get plain Tylosin from Jedds.com for the future, and it has no doxycycline in it, like the Doxy-Tyl does.