Mycoplasma gallisepticum infection

[AZ Birds]

What is the best method of "culling" for the hens???

i used a pellet gun to cull a hen the other day. gotta get a direct hit in the top of head though.

 

[AZ Birds]

My vet said that I'm likely dealing with MG as well, right now. The strain that my birds have is a severe one I guess. They get terrible eye infections, wheezing, coughing, runny nose, loss of appetite, combs turning blue and purple (from lack of oxygen).....a lot of them died last fall, when I didn't know what I was dealing with. I've been using Tylan (water soluble) for any birds that come down sick since then.

i thought about using tylan and letting the chickens be but after thinking i cant eat the eggs or hatch them and how i would be putting the neighbors chickens at risk when they are only a welded wire fence away i think it would be best to cull since there is no cure.

 

[AZ Birds]

well just got my test results back and out of the 5 birds tested they tested positive for M. galllisepticum and M. synoviae looks like i will be culling my whole flock of 16 bird . anyone know what i should do with bodies to get rid of the disease after culling (bury, burn, etc)?

 

[dawg53]

I've always buried birds. You've got a good point, it might be best for you to burn the carcasses since it's MG/MS. ( I had this all worded wrong, sorry)

 

[AZ Birds]

alright thank Dawg seems as though you know alot about chicken health. this site and members should be thankful to have you here i know i am.

 

[dawg53]

Thanks AZ Birds. Sorry your going through this. Your heart was in the right place, but a sad situation in the end. You'll be able to get more chickens soon enough. Good luck, I wish you the best.

 

[bj taylor]

i am so sorry you are going to have to cull your whole flock. i know that will just make you sick. i am just now becoming more aware of bio-security. i had planned on going to a flea market this weekend & just see what they had.
now i won't even walk in that area for fear of bringing something home on my shoes or clothes.

i bought 5 chicks from a lady about a month ago. no signs of illness to date, but if they're infected w/ something, it's too late for my 4 ladies - they've been right next to each other the whole time.

how the heck are you supposed to get just a few birds when you have to buy 20 something from the hatcheries? i don't live near one that i could drive. what a delimma.

 

[speckledhen]

You don't have to buy 20+ birds from hatcheries. Ideal has a $25 minimum, if I'm not mistaken, not a 20 bird minimum.


This is the exact reason I don't buy started birds from anyone, not even chicks, and don't allow anyone to bring birds back to me after they leave here.

 

[AZ Birds]

i am so sorry you are going to have to cull your whole flock. i know that will just make you sick. i am just now becoming more aware of bio-security. i had planned on going to a flea market this weekend & just see what they had.
now i won't even walk in that area for fear of bringing something home on my shoes or clothes.

i bought 5 chicks from a lady about a month ago. no signs of illness to date, but if they're infected w/ something, it's too late for my 4 ladies - they've been right next to each other the whole time.

how the heck are you supposed to get just a few birds when you have to buy 20 something from the hatcheries? i don't live near one that i could drive. what a delimma.

yeah definitely learned my lesson in taking in birds that i dont know where they came from and if anyone asks me again they are just going have to be dumped in the desert. it was definitely hard putting them down especially when they were running to me for protection from my neighbors who was also helping cull them. the vet who tested the birds said hatchery birds are not safe from disease either because they can pick up anything in route to there new homes or feed stores. i guess its just luck of the draw and i plan on ordering hatching eggs from a npip show quality breeder next time. he also said if you do get birds from people or craigslist or something just keep them separate from your flock for about 2 months and if all is good you may let them with your flock.

 

[dawg53]

I've always ordered day old chicks from Meyer, Ideal or MyPetChicken without any problems. Meyer hatchery and MPC will sell you as little as 3 chicks and sexed if you wish. Of course shipping costs are a little higher but worth it if you're only wanting a few chickens. My Meyer hatchery BR's and Hamburg's are 7.5 years old and still laying.