Mycoplasma gallisepticum infection

[AZ Birds]

Well i just got done with testing of my birds who are sick, by the state vet here in AZ and from what the vet saw he thinks they have Mycoplasma gallisepticum infection which appearantly is going around here in AZ. aparently it doesnt do much to the chicken just gives them cough and weezy breathing but will spread to chicken to chicken.also read up on this i found out it affects hatch ability which probably explains why i have yet to have good hatches with lots development but few hatching. also was bummed that i have to go through another agency to get into more intensive testing (all he did was swab the mouth) and to get my NPIP certification. anyway sorry for ranting so much lol. anyone know any medicine that will get rid of this??? as many warned me the state vet usually says cull the birds this one didnt say it but he didnt recommend any meds either. also if anyone has experience with this infection or info please share. does it effect eggs for eating since it affect hatch ability?

 

[dawg53]

Well i just got done with testing of my birds who are sick, by the state vet here in AZ and from what the vet saw he thinks they have Mycoplasma gallisepticum infection which appearantly is going around here in AZ. aparently it doesnt do much to the chicken just gives them cough and weezy breathing but will spread to chicken to chicken.also read up on this i found out it affects hatch ability which probably explains why i have yet to have good hatches with lots development but few hatching. also was bummed that i have to go through another agency to get into more intensive testing (all he did was swab the mouth) and to get my NPIP certification. anyway sorry for ranting so much lol. anyone know any medicine that will get rid of this??? as many warned me the state vet usually says cull the birds this one didnt say it but he didnt recommend any meds either. also if anyone has experience with this infection or info please share. does it effect eggs for eating since it affect hatch ability?

MG has different strains, showing little symptoms to terrible symptoms. Stress can set off symptoms easily. There are treatments but no cures. Surviving birds remain carriers for life and can pass it easily to other birds. The disease passes through eggs to chicks as you have found out. Dont fool yourself into believing that MG "just gives them a cough and wheezy breathing." There are other symptoms which can and usually do get worse over time. Here's a couple of links for you to read about MG. It's best to depopulate...cull.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps034
http://www.amerpoultryassn.com/respiratory_disease.htm

 

[CorinneP]

So Sorry your going through this AZ Birds .. Thank you for the information dawg53 I hope I never have to deal with it but I feel more informed .

 

[AZ Birds]

thanks Dawg for the info looks like i just might have to cull my birds next week when the results come. the bad part is they are eating, drinking and doing everything chickens should so its going to be hard just to put them down i would have no problem doing it if they were showing more
harsh symptoms. as far as eating eggs does it affect people? our family and a few friends have been eating them. also how long should i wait after culling to start up again?

 

[AZ Birds]

So Sorry your going through this AZ Birds .. Thank you for the information dawg53 I hope I never have to deal with it but I feel more informed .

yeah its a bummer but better sooner then later this is my first flock and they only about 2 months to 9 months.

 

[Snack Giver]

Wow this is really upsetting. I am dealing with this right now in one of my 6 hens. I didnt know what she had until tonight's blood test came back. After reading that second link, I'm worried that my other birds will get it. Maybe they already do but have not shown signs. Wow I'm worried. I have my sick hen seperated. No other birds are sick or show it. It does say it can sometimes be acute.

 

[dawg53]

thanks Dawg for the info looks like i just might have to cull my birds next week when the results come. the bad part is they are eating, drinking and doing everything chickens should so its going to be hard just to put them down i would have no problem doing it if they were showing more
harsh symptoms. as far as eating eggs does it affect people? our family and a few friends have been eating them. also how long should i wait after culling to start up again?

Eggs are safe to eat unless you are giving them an antibiotic, different antibiotics have different withdrawal times. MG doesnt last long in the environment. If you read the first link in post #2, it states as little as 3 days. IF, you decide to cull, disinfect everything as best as you can and wait about a week. Remember biosecurity. Dont buy birds from craigslist, farmer down the road, flea markets etc...
I've always bought chicks from reputable hatcheries without any problems except the usual wormings, bumblefoot cases...that sort of thing. I'm not saying that a wild bird couldnt introduce a disease. That has always been a concern for me. So far so good.

 

[AZ Birds]

Eggs are safe to eat unless you are giving them an antibiotic, different antibiotics have different withdrawal times. MG doesnt last long in the environment. If you read the first link in post #2, it states as little as 3 days. IF, you decide to cull, disinfect everything as best as you can and wait about a week. Remember biosecurity. Dont buy birds from craigslist, farmer down the road, flea markets etc...
I've always bought chicks from reputable hatcheries without any problems except the usual wormings, bumblefoot cases...that sort of thing. I'm not saying that a wild bird couldnt introduce a disease. That has always been a concern for me. So far so good.

yes i read both links and they were very informative, thank you very much for them. the thing i dont get that it mentioned and you stated is it dont last long especially in heated environments and here in AZ it gets up to 115 degrees in the summer how are the cases here expanding with such hot weather and how did it survive on the first chicken to have it? also great that i dont have to worry about my family and friends getting sick now since they been eating eggs to. i think this **** problem came from this guy that came to my farm and asked if i wanted 5 chickens for free or he was going to dump them in the desert so i took them in and i guess that was my mistake for those 5 birds i took in i have to cull them and 11 others.

 

[chickendaddy'swife]

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

 

[BirdyMe]

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.