Mycoplasma Rest Period Before Introducing New Chicks

[jeflin]

I recently posted about sick chicks and guinea keets with URI symptoms that pointed to possibly MG. 2 keets died and 1 Cochin died and over half the chicks and keets were symptomatic, so we decided to cull, trying to prevent introducing disease to our current adult flock and newly hatched chicks (from our flock). I had planned to send for necropsy but my husband misunderstood and disposed of the chicks. So, we’ll never know for sure if it was MG or something else. My adult birds are outside and newly hatched chicks are in the house. I’m monitoring for illness, and so far so good. The sick keets and chicks were brooded in the garage on a concrete floor with several layers of cardboard, a tarp, and wood shavings covering the concrete. I rolled up the shavings into the tarp and disposed of them as well as all cardboard. I bleached all the pens, feeders and brooder plates. I swept up any loose debris that I could see, but it’s possible dust, dander, and/or feathers are still floating around the garage amongst the boxes (we recently moved). The garage has been under strict quarantine since Sunday. My 39 indoor chicks are going on a week old and are quickly outgrowing the indoor brooder. I really need to move them out, but I’m afraid of exposing them to anything contagious that could still be lingering in the garage. Most info I can find on MG says it can’t live longer than 4 days in an environment without a host. But, I’m not sure that’s exactly what we had either.

For those with much more knowledge and experience than me, what would you do?

Any help greatly appreciated!

 

[Mamatomany123]

I believe you want to wait a few months before moving new clbirds in where the infected birds were. But I could be wrong. Everything I've read said to wait until the next season to start a new flock.

 

[Myrshine]

I think it's safe to wait a few months before bringing in anymore birds of any kind. While the MG bacteria can't survive long outside it's host, you also don't have a firm diagnosis on what your birds had. Most diseases die in heat and to most cleaners. Oxine is the best thing to use if you want to make sure everything is 100% cleaned and disinfected. Just make sure you burn all bodies and throughly clean everything with feces.