A few weeks ago I bought some chicks from a lady that I have dealt with in the past. Within a week one had died, and the others had swollen, weepy eyes but no other symptoms. I texted her and she said that I should try Tylan 50 for them and it helped. In a moment of shear stupidity, thinking that they were cleared up and not doing my research on any kind of diseases and simply taking her word for it, I moved them to the outside coop with my other chickens. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid!
After I culled one sick hen, I noticed that others were starting to show symptoms of mycoplasmosis... bubbly, swollen eyes, coughing, sneezing, wheezing. I read more about it and decided to treat the hens with Tylan also. After a week of antibiotics, most showed no symptoms and the ones that were not getting better were culled. The outbreak had only been in my layer coop, so although I was sick about it, I figured I wouldn't worry too much since I wasn't going to breed them or sell them. My plan was just to let them continue to lay until it was time to cull for old age and close my flock to prevent the spread of the disease.
I was ok with that plan until I noticed that my breeder pullets were also getting sick. I culled them immediately. All together I have culled 13 chickens. I am beyond upset with the lady who sold me those chicks, and although she claims that she did not know they were sick, I am suspicious... especially since she knew what to recommend for an antibiotic. She has refunded me money for the Tylan and some change to cover the birds that I've lost, but my losses by far out weigh the refund she has given me. I also keep a rare breed of bird, and luckily this pen has not been infected. I'm crossing my fingers that I can keep them healthy and out of harms way, but all that I read suggests that my entire flock is doomed. I
Anyway.... long story short, here are the questions I have not been able to find in my research and I'm hoping that you smart chicken keepers can point me in the right direction.
1. If a chicken shows no signs of sickness, although they were in the same coop as an infected bird, are they still carriers for the disease? Basically, are all the chickens carriers now that they've been exposed even if they've not gotten sick?
2. I know MG/MS can be transmitted through the egg to a developing embryo. Does this only occur if the hen was infected, or if the rooster is infected can he also pass it along?
3. If you were in my shoes, what would your course of action be?
Thanks so much, everyone for your insight! This has been a nightmare...
After I culled one sick hen, I noticed that others were starting to show symptoms of mycoplasmosis... bubbly, swollen eyes, coughing, sneezing, wheezing. I read more about it and decided to treat the hens with Tylan also. After a week of antibiotics, most showed no symptoms and the ones that were not getting better were culled. The outbreak had only been in my layer coop, so although I was sick about it, I figured I wouldn't worry too much since I wasn't going to breed them or sell them. My plan was just to let them continue to lay until it was time to cull for old age and close my flock to prevent the spread of the disease.
I was ok with that plan until I noticed that my breeder pullets were also getting sick. I culled them immediately. All together I have culled 13 chickens. I am beyond upset with the lady who sold me those chicks, and although she claims that she did not know they were sick, I am suspicious... especially since she knew what to recommend for an antibiotic. She has refunded me money for the Tylan and some change to cover the birds that I've lost, but my losses by far out weigh the refund she has given me. I also keep a rare breed of bird, and luckily this pen has not been infected. I'm crossing my fingers that I can keep them healthy and out of harms way, but all that I read suggests that my entire flock is doomed. I
Anyway.... long story short, here are the questions I have not been able to find in my research and I'm hoping that you smart chicken keepers can point me in the right direction.
1. If a chicken shows no signs of sickness, although they were in the same coop as an infected bird, are they still carriers for the disease? Basically, are all the chickens carriers now that they've been exposed even if they've not gotten sick?
2. I know MG/MS can be transmitted through the egg to a developing embryo. Does this only occur if the hen was infected, or if the rooster is infected can he also pass it along?
3. If you were in my shoes, what would your course of action be?
Thanks so much, everyone for your insight! This has been a nightmare...
