Mycoplasma questions

[carrielove]

Hello all! We just inherited 20 hens who apparently have mycoplasma! They are on a round of antibiotics and luckily none are showing signs of infection, but as it sticks around for life, we want to take all precautions to give these girls a long happy life AND keep other poultry / birds free of this disease.

We are using separate boots for entering the enclosure, and I’m likely getting coveralls and disposable head coverings for when we enter the coop. We also are getting a foot bath. Here are my other questions:

1) what should we do with the poop? Should it be buried or can it be composted like normal chicken poop?

2) what’s the best way to dispose of the dirty water (with bleach in it)?

Any other advice from folks who have dealt with this is greatly appreciated, thank you!

Carrie

 

[Eggcessive]

Welcome to BYC. Do you already have other poultry that have not been exposed? Many flocks may be positive for mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG.) The other type of mycoplasma in chickens is MS or mycoplasma synovitis, which causes swollen joints.

Most people just keep a closed flock when they have mycoplasma in the flock. There is no need for all of the precautions, unless you have birds who have not been exposed. No need to treat all birds, but just the ones with symptoms when there is an outbreak. Some may cull sick birds. It can be spread to wild birds or they already may have it, and then they also can spread it to your birds.

One thing good is that mycoplasma only remains in the environment for about 3 days. So you could toss water out into the dirt where your chickens are not on, or down the drain. Just use good handwashing and biosecurity if you do have other birds, until all of the MG positive birds have died off.

 

[Eggcessive]

Here are 2 good articles that have helped others:
https://extension.umaine.edu/livestock/poultry/mycoplasma-gallisepticum-faq/

https://extension.umd.edu/resource/...mycoplasma-gallisepticum-mg-infection-poultry

 

[carrielove]

Here are 2 good articles that have helped others:
https://extension.umaine.edu/livestock/poultry/mycoplasma-gallisepticum-faq/

https://extension.umd.edu/resource/...mycoplasma-gallisepticum-mg-infection-poultry

Thank you so much! This seems less ominous than I originally thought. We don’t have other birds, so that takes the pressure off. Thanks again!

 

[K0k0shka]

Here are 2 good articles that have helped others:
https://extension.umaine.edu/livestock/poultry/mycoplasma-gallisepticum-faq/

https://extension.umd.edu/resource/...mycoplasma-gallisepticum-mg-infection-poultry

Hope you guys don't mind if I hop on with a question, since this is suddenly relevant to me, too. @Eggcessive I see that the two links have information for MG specifically. Do you know if that's applicable to MS as well? (same spread, short persistence in the environment, etc.) My birds aren't showing symptoms and I don't know their current status (looking into having them tested), but a friend of mine recently had a chicken test positive for MS (has swollen joints) and I have occasionally been helping her with her flock, so I'm worried that I might have brought MS back to my flock. I use separate boots when visiting her flock and disinfect my hands after, but I read that it can be carried on my hair and in my nostrils (WTF) so it's definitely possible, because I don't wear a hazmat suit when tending to her flock...

 

[Eggcessive]

I think that MS can be spread the same way, since it is a mild respiratory disease. Here it is in the beginning of the Merck Vet Manual article:
https://www.merckvetmanual.com/poultry/mycoplasmosis/mycoplasma-synoviae-infection-in-poultry

 

[K0k0shka]

I think that MS can be spread the same way, since it is a mild respiratory disease. Here it is in the beginning of the Merck Vet Manual article:
https://www.merckvetmanual.com/poultry/mycoplasmosis/mycoplasma-synoviae-infection-in-poultry

Thanks!