Mycoplasma gallisepticum rooster

[bleechme]

My fault on this one, But anyways, I bought a hen a couple weeks ago and she was physically healthy, but there was 1 hen in her pen that had a stuffy nose and bubbles in her eye. Just recently, she started to bubble in her eyes too and now one of my roosters got it and one of his eye is glued shut. I did some research and I found out the disease is called Mycoplasma gallisepticum.

anyways, I'm trying my best to heal him and I have isolated him and I am just wondering if any of you guys know how what kind of meds I can buy to cure this. I don't really have the money to take him to the vet but I can go buy some meds. I found a few websites on what to treat them with but all they have are long names of chemicals or something. All I really want is a name of a product that I can easily find at a feed store or walmart. Worse comes he'll get culled if he doesn't recover with me washing his eyes daily, but that is my last option.

 

[purpletree23]

Not too worry......Everyone will be in tip top shape in no time.

You need to purchase a product called Tylan or Tylosan Soluable. Do not purchase the injectable kind and do not let the farm store person try to sell you something different.

Different states sell different antibiotics so you might have to get it on line. It's not cheap but if the product is kept in it's original container in a cool dark place like a basement it will be good for years or at least until the expiration date. If you can not find it at one of your local farm stores you can get it at Amazon.com

Tylan Soluble 100 Gram

If I remember correctly the dosage is 1/2 teaspoon to 1/2 gallon of water there is an 800 number on the container that you can call if you have any questions. They will connect you to an actual veterinarian. The vet will not diagnose anything and will answer very few questions but WILL give you the proper dosage and duration of treatment.

Very Important: Tylan is difficult to mix. Measure 1/2 gallon clean water into your chicken waterer. Always use plastic and not galvanized for medications.
Measure 1/2 teaspoon Tylan powder into a clean glass jar with a tight fitting lid. Add some water from the 1/2 gallon. Screw top on and shake vigorously until mixed.
Now you can add it to the 1/2 gallon of water. Mix well.
Make sure this is the only water available to the chickens for 3 days. Make a new batch every morning and throw out the old.

For the gunky eyes buy some contact lens storage solution (big bottle....make sure it's storage solution and not some caustic cleaner) and cotton balls. Walmart...a couple bucks. Wet the cotton ball with the saline and gently place over roosters eye. When the gunk starts to soften wipe the gunk away. Keep using fresh wet cotton balls. The solution might bubble a little because it has peroxide in it. Don't let it concern you. It will kill germs and make him feel a lot better.

If I were doing this in the Winter I would take the chill off the saline by heating it on the stove (just above room temperature) and then pouring it over cotton balls in a small plastic container. I wouldn't want someone to squish a cold wet cotton ball on my eye when it's 30 degrees out. That way your cotton balls are ready and there is no fumbling trying to hold a rooster, cotton balls and a saline bottle. I can just see it now. If it were me one of the girls would trip me and I'd drop a cotton ball and someone would eat it.


FYI If you put the Tylan directly into the water you just get little Tylan floating balls that never dissolve.

Make sure you treat everyone at the same time even if they aren't showing any symptoms. Everyone can go back into the same coop.

Your diagnosis was excellent. Around here we call it CRD Chronic Respiratory Disease


Keep me posted!!! Don't worry...they will be fine.

 

[WallTenters]

Tylan will treat the symptoms, but is not a cure. I'm just telling you what I've learned recently - I've been doing a ton of reading on MG through academic/scientific studies as well as talking to vets, university veterinary college laboratory directors and teachers, and other members here on this forum.

MG has many different strains, and birds that are infected with one strain are more likely to get infected with other strains - so that means they may get sick every year, every month, or never again. They also never gain immunity to a strain - so if you treat with antibiotics, it will set the disease back but they'll still be carrying it around. So the next time they get stressed or their immune system takes a hit, they'll get sick with the same strain they've had before that you treated for, and they can also get sick with another strain on top of that. It also usually makes birds sick in conjunction with another virus or bacteria... just totally drains their immune system.

It's a huge drain to have to treat birds all the time, it can kill them but more importantly, it's highly contagious and you'll never get rid of it unless you cull sick birds or continuously treat with antibiotics for the rest of your flock's days.

Many folks on here that have experienced this will tell you to cull any sick birds. Unfortunately you'd either have to eradicate the flock, disinfect EVERYTHING and start over in a few months... or simply have a survival of the fittest mentality - any birds that don't show any signs are allowed to stay, any that get sick must go.

 

[bleechme]

thanks guys, I'll try that Tylan stuff, but sounds kinda dangerous. But I will have to defiantly try it.

 

[Neil Grassbaugh]

Mycoplasmas are really easy to treat. There are many medications for the disease and they are effective. Problem is that thad the disease is very difficult to eradicate in the backyard situation. It can constantly reoccur.

Even healthy birds will show clinical signs of the disease when they are stressed.

In the poultry industry when we have to medicate for MG making certain that the birds are warm is always a part of the cure. Just doing that will help and maybe enough to get them over the outbreak.

 

[purpletree23]

I used Tylan with my first flock of chickens. There were 6 of them. I treated all of them and they recovered quite well and quickly. Since then I have added 2 more batched of chickens and I have never had a chicken get CRD again. I still have 4 or the original chickens (death due to dogs) and plan on adding 6 more this Spring. I think a lot of people think MG is viral but I've read that it is bacterial so antibiotics should take care of it and I think it works very well.

IMHO I don't think it is dangerous because I also use it on my honeybees and have never had adverse effects with chickens or bees.

 

[Posh Chickens]

I don't know if someone has already said but, hold him by his legs, and then a yellow thick liquid will pour out his/her mouth.
Treatment = Tylan.

 

[speckledhen]

Mycoplasmosis cannot be permanently cured. They will always be carriers and it can pass down through the egg to future chicks. Just wanted to be clear on that.

 

[Posh Chickens]

I know, but the treatment to get rid of the symptoms is Tylan. Could any type of bird disease be passed chicken to chicken by humans?

 

[speckledhen]

Most diseases can be transmitted through the air, soil, water or by humans on their clothing and shoes, yes.