Mycoplasma: kill everything off, or no big deal? Help!

[forester7]

OK, so I built a new barn and bought my first 8 heritage chicks ($40 total). I am pretty sure they have mycoplasma (sneezing and swollen shut eyes). i have not had any die, and they got better on tetracycline, then regressed again, but now seem to be getting better again on their own.

I am looking for advise... is this a big enough deal that I should kill all them off and start over, or will it just work itself out? I want to bring in more chickens soon, so I need to decide. The thing is... can I reasonably expect to find heritage chicks locally again that won't have mycoplasma? The ones I got were from the biggest breeder of heritage chickens in the region. Is this disease be a pain in my but forever if I don't start from scratch now?

Thanks in advance for any help!

 

[getaclue]

Have you contacted the breeder? Sometimes they will replace sick chicks.

 

[BlackBrookPoultry]

If you're planning on breeding, I would start over. You don't want to knowingly spread that disease to others. If you just wanted them for eggs and could keep a closed flock, it would be ok to keep those.

 

[Eggcessive]

First get the mycoplasma confirmed with testing or with a necropsy. It will always be in your flock if you even have one bird left who is a carrier--each new chicken will become exposed. If you get more from the breeder, they will be carriers if that is where yours got it.

 

[BlackBrookPoultry]

Could it be something environmental? What are you using for bedding?

 

[BantyChooks]

Mycoplasmas are everywhere and it is really hard to get and keep a MG clean flock. However, it sounds like you have a slightly more severe strain than some, so I really don't know what my course of action would be. Definitely wouldn't sell any birds from your flock if you do decide to continue... nobody likes buying sick birds.

Proper management also goes a great deal towards keeping them healthy, as does breeding for resistance. IMO that is the only way to get MG/MS under control in North America. I am doing that in my flock, since I believe mine harbour a mild strain. Nothing more than nasal discharge and a few sneezes.

 

[BantyChooks]

First get the mycoplasma confirmed with testing or with a necropsy. It will always be in your flock if you even have one bird left who is a carrier--each new chicken will become exposed. If you get more from the breeder, they will be carriers if that is where yours got it.

 

[forester7]

Yes, from what little I have learned about the disease, I suspect if I got any more from this breeder they would be carriers as well! Unfortunately, because this is such a large breeder in this area (supplying many small locals), I would be suspicious of getting the disease from any heritage birds being sold in the area. I have also heard that 80+% of backyard flocks are carriers anyway. I am afraid trying to avoid it would be a lost cause. As for a necropsy... $40 worth of birds would hardly be worth the cost of that. As for bedding... I am using wood shavings from a local woodworker's planner

 

[MINDANAO DAVE]

Well if you're not selling them I wouldn't dispose of them. I would watch them close and enjoy them. You can always dispose of them later if you have more sickness. Don't throw away $40.00. If you dispose of them it is 8 months before you can introduce birds back into the area and no guarantee it will be safe even then.