Mycoplasma Gallisepticum (MG). Kill Flock or not?

[ODS-n-ENS FARM]

A.T. Hagan :

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I'd go with Option 2 as well.

I see option 2 as your only option if youwant to sell hatching eggs.​

 

[CrazyerThanAverage]

I was a victim of someone doing what RedneckChikns was proposing (but using CraigsList, not an auction) when I was trying to rebuild my flock after a hawk attack. (6 of 7 killed.) I lost one bird and still have 5 in isolation trying to recover. I chose NOT to kill/clean/start-over. I now have a closed flock; no bird will ever leave (alive). But, I can hatch eggs and/or add new birds as necessary. (Just have to do it carefully.) I can (and do) sell eggs at the local Farmer's Market, but they are for eating - not hatching. (I only have one Roo, so hatch rate would be REALLY bad if someone tried. He's there to be the sacrificial chicken and give the ladies time to hide.) So you have to decide how badly you want to sell hatching eggs, and if it is worth the time & expense of starting over. For me...no; for you...???

 

[Chickie Mamma]

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[ranchhand]

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It's really your personal choice, neither will be easy. But I wish you the strength to make the right decision for YOU, and my gratitude for not passing the misery on.

 

[EweSheep]

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It's really your personal choice, neither will be easy. But I wish you the strength to make the right decision for YOU, and my gratitude for not passing the misery on.

2x

 

[crazyhen]

I am in the heart ache now. I had an MG/MS free flock and got eggs from someone. My flock got very sick , most of the winter. Testing revealed the terrible news a very virulent strain of ms. Redneck how dare you do such a thing. I have cried and mourned all day because someone else sold me some eggs that were infected.. I lost my whole flock of beloved layers and pets. gloria Jean

 

[Chickenaddict]

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Same thing happened to me with some cochins last year, luckily I am extremely vigilant about my bioecurity, every new bird I brought in was quarentined for at LEAST 30 days. The birds in quarentine were the last birds I dealt with on a daily basis so afterwards id wash up and change clothes before I handled my own flock.30 days went by and they got worse, the smell was putrid and I made the tough decision to cull the birds in quarentine and cut my losses. The issue would have spiraled out of control had I been dumb and tossed them in with my flock. I keep 2 seperate flocks, one seramas, the other various other bantams. The seramas are breeders, their offspring are sold as well as the eggs and that is what pays the feed bill if I am lucky. However with more and more horror stories of sick birds going around makes me wanna close my flock all together just to keep my babies safe and healthy. The person I bought the infected birds from also showed at the fairs and things so I can imagine I wasn't the only victim in that bad business deal.

IMO if the shoe was on my foot and I was faced with this and wasn't running a full fledged hatchery or something and only had birds for pets and eggs for breakfast I would choose to close the flock. That would also require taking away their free ranging and keeping them in a run that was completely covered so that no wild birds could come into contact with them and potentially spread the disease. However if you intend to make a little pocket change off of them by selling eggs on ebay then I would choose to cull the flock and start over with some birds that had been vaccinated or birds from a hatchery 6 months down the road when you are sure the premisis is clear of the disease.

 

[Judy]

You really should read through this thread: https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=399094

I read through it this morning; some very experienced and knowledgeable people contributed to it.

 

[nuttyredhead]

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Absolutely Unbelievable! I cannot even believe you posted this! It makes me sick!

 

[speckledhen]

This may sound a bit unethical but I like to cut my losses....
I would get them well-showing no symptoms
Then I would carry them to the local livestock sale, keep my mouth shut and be happy with how ever many pennies I get for them.
Bleach the POO out of everything and start over.
That way at least you have made a buck-maybe not what you had invested, but you cut your losses and this will sound CRUEL but paybacks a #itch with those little livestock sales with ag inspectors in the hands of the owners and paid to look the other way. How many times years and years ago did I used to COME HOME with funky illnessness from those kinda places that are totally mismanaged and the biggest propogators of serious poultry diseases!

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I am posting here as a member, not as a moderator, so let's not accuse me of being biased. I am too appalled by this not to say something.

No, NO, 1000 times NO! Sounds a bit unethical??? How about unethical and unconscionable in a major way? Do not cause heartache in someone else's flock. This is why there are sob stories prevalent in the Emergencies section day in and day out. This is what I've been begging of our members for years, to act toward others the way you yourself want to be treated. This ain't it, not by a long shot. You're only going to hurt innocent people, not those that are the cause of the problem.​