Mycoplasma - is quarantine essential?

[Wickedchicken6]

You're correct, and it's tough. Every time I go to a feed store I get concerned and hope I'm not bringing something back home to infect my chickens. Before I go out in the backyard where the coops are located, I change shoes. I call them 'chicken shoes.' I avoid swap meets, chicken shows etc...
I'm sure poultry commercial biosecurity procedures are much the same as it is with hogs. BTW, I used to raise Durocs many years ago. I loved it but the cost of feed got too expensive and I got out of it.

I love the Durocs! Growing up we had those and Hamps. I like raising hogs on the farm, but here unless one has a private market, there's nowhere to market them now. It changed in the early 90's when hog barns came in.

I worked in a high health hog facility for 5 years. There's no going back to regular life after living life under those biosecure protocols...lol! Our entire farm is as biosecure as it can be with the livestock/grains and still stay sane. We have the booties, the disinfectants...it's also no secret I'm wearing gloves in just about every picture I put on here. I agree...it's too exhausting going to sales with my Virkon and having to change and wash/disinfect my clothes and scrub down when I get home before I can approach the chickens. Like you, we still have to visit the feed store and the same...we have "good" clothes and shoes and "farm" clothes and shoes.

But realistically, a cattle liner drove past one of our cattle pastures with the wind blowing in the direction of our cattle when I was out at the field today. We have a poultry person drive past here every day. The only way to be almost completely biosecure is to live in a glass bubble. And we know that is hardly possible...so we calculate the risks and do the best we can.

 

[dawg53]

I've got chicken clothes too, I keep them here and dont wear them off our property.
You mentioned the cattle liner passing nearby with the wind blowing toward your cattle; I dont know anything about cattle but I'm sure there are some types of bacteria or virus that can be carried in the wind. I bet it makes your heart skip a couple of beats every time!
It kind of reminds me of Infectious Bronchitis in poultry. The virus can travel in the wind about 1200 yards from the source, neighbors flock for example. No telling what strain it is...mild to severe. The latter causing kidney problems then death in 24 hours. IB can go through a whole flock in one or two days.
The poultry person that drives by your place every day....
All we can do is look out for the safety, health and welfare of our livestock...it's our responsibility. If something happens beyond our control, we'll have a clear conscience knowing we did the best we could.

 

[Kiki]

Dawg meet Wickie

She is Mrs. Biosecurity.

 

[dawg53]

LOLOL She is a he! LOL.

 

[Kiki]

LOLOL She is a he! LOL.

No. That's just her mask.

 

[Kiki]

@Wickedchicken6 is the one who convinced me to worry about germies.

 

[dawg53]

@Wickedchicken6 is the one who convinced me to worry about germies.

She has done a great job!

 

[jeepgrrl]

That's what I was thinking! We found them on a craigslist add...it was a farm that had acquired several varieties of chicks from different breeders, so it's really no surprise that this happened, though I didn't realize when purchasing. The vet also said that they probably knew of the problem. I was thinking about maybe posting a warning on craigslist about the add to other potential buyers? I'm not sure if that would be out of line or not...

I don't know if you have a similar agency in Canada, but here in the States if I came across an unscrupulous individual that was (knowingly) selling infected birds, I would report them to the local state/county extension office. We live in the country and there are poultry/egg farms in the area, in addition to the lot of us that maintain smaller homesteading/backyard flocks. A disease such as MG, because of its modes of transmission, could wreak havoc on these poultry and egg farms. I would think (hope) biosecurity measures are strictly implemented at these farms to prevent such a catastrophe, but for those who don't know any better, an outbreak could be devastating both emotionally and financially. Shame on these ppl for jeopardizing other's birds just to make a buck. I do hope you are able to get your hens as healthy as they can be!

 

[JBirdy]

Personally...I would contact the sellers and notify them so they are aware. They may not know and reporting them is jumping to conclusions.

I'm not familiar with British Columbia but from the looking that I've done, Canada doesn't appear to have surveillance testing or assistance with costs of necropsies as some States do. The last time I asked about necropsy costs, it was in the cost range of $200 plus for a bird. If you or anyone else has any information on the testing of poultry, I would love to know.

I don't know if you have a similar agency in Canada, but here in the States if I came across an unscrupulous individual that was (knowingly) selling infected birds, I would report them to the local state/county extension office. We live in the country and there are poultry/egg farms in the area, in addition to the lot of us that maintain smaller homesteading/backyard flocks. A disease such as MG, because of its modes of transmission, could wreak havoc on these poultry and egg farms. I would think (hope) biosecurity measures are strictly implemented at these farms to prevent such a catastrophe, but for those who don't know any better, an outbreak could be devastating both emotionally and financially. Shame on these ppl for jeopardizing other's birds just to make a buck. I do hope you are able to get your hens as healthy as they can be!

I'm hoping that I can nurse them back to health!

I did end up contacting the seller and they said that they haven't had any experiences with mycoplasma ever... so I have to take their word for it. I wouldn't want to ruin their financial means... I just hope that none of their other buyers are going through what we are.

 

[Wickedchicken6]

I've got chicken clothes too, I keep them here and dont wear them off our property.
You mentioned the cattle liner passing nearby with the wind blowing toward your cattle; I dont know anything about cattle but I'm sure there are some types of bacteria or virus that can be carried in the wind. I bet it makes your heart skip a couple of beats every time!
It kind of reminds me of Infectious Bronchitis in poultry. The virus can travel in the wind about 1200 yards from the source, neighbors flock for example. No telling what strain it is...mild to severe. The latter causing kidney problems then death in 24 hours. IB can go through a whole flock in one or two days.
The poultry person that drives by your place every day....
All we can do is look out for the safety, health and welfare of our livestock...it's our responsibility. If something happens beyond our control, we'll have a clear conscience knowing we did the best we could.

Lol...even though we have a commercial herd, we vaccinate for everything recommended by our vet. We're on a program most purebred breeders are on. Still, like you mention, there's always that chance. There's no telling what's spread as vehicles traverse the country.

IB is incredibly scary! After we purchased our first sheep, I bought a book called the veterinary book for sheep farmers. I remember thinking that if people purchased the book prior to buying their sheep...there is no way they'd ever buy sheep in the first place.
I remember thinking that same thought about the chickens once I became a member of BYC.