Poorly hens - mycoplasma

[mulcottagechickens]

I recently bought 4 hens (2 silkies, pekin bantam and polish bantam). Sadly just after a week of getting them 2 died - we thought it was a case of worms as they were gaping and only died very suddenly. The other we took to the vet and they diagnosed mycoplasma- sadly after 3 days she also passed away despite antibiotics. They are only young and sadly must have had this where they came from.

My pekin and one remaining silkie are doing well - they are running around the garden, picking at grass, in high spirits. But, they can’t stop sneezing. They are also on the antibiotics (Baytril 10% oral) and have been for a week. Vet has advised to do a further 5 days as they are still sneezing.

The pekin has a full crop but, my silkie doesn’t seem to have very much in there at all. I’ve seen her eat and drink but she can’t be eating a lot as I just checked on them and it’s basically flat. She a bit raspy tonight but, has been on and off throughout this.

I really don’t want to loose these 2 so, doing everything I can. Could it be something other than mycoplasma? Or maybe she’s just off her food at the minute because of the antibiotics?

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Where are you? Have you notified the breeder you got them from? How about your Dept. of Agriculture? MP is no joke, and can spread silently, doing a lot of damage if allowed to be spread after its been discovered. The breeder's flock should be tested, and if positive, start contact tracing. Would be terrible if one of those birds ended up in a county faire or the like, unknowing. This is an alert the authorities kind of thing - not to punish the source of your new birds - but to protect all owners in the area.

My state makes this brochure handy.

 

[mulcottagechickens]

Where are you? Have you notified the breeder you got them from? How about your Dept. of Agriculture? MP is no joke, and can spread silently, doing a lot of damage if allowed to be spread after its been discovered. The breeder's flock should be tested, and if positive, start contact tracing. Would be terrible if one of those birds ended up in a county faire or the like, unknowing. This is an alert the authorities kind of thing - not to punish the source of your new birds - but to protect all owners in the area.

My state makes this brochure handy.

Thank you for that brochure. Really helpful info. Im actually in the UK but have notified breeder and they have stopped selling hens to quarantine all of hers and carry out tests.

It’s so bizarre the other girls were very weak when this got hold of them. But the 2 remaining seem to be enjoying wondering round the garden. I’ve had them now for 3 weeks. I’m just concerned that the little silkie has a fairly empty crop tonight. Hoping I can entice her with something yummy tomorrow and that she rests tonight.

 

[Eggcessive]

Unfortunately it is not a good thing to start out with chickens with a chronic respiratory disease in your flock. Every other bird that you bring in will get exposed, and could get sick or die. The best solution is to close your flock. You could consider culling the birds, getting a necropsy by the state vet to document the actual disease, and the disease would die out on your property with days of the chickens being gone.

It is always a risk buying chicks or started birds from someone who may have a disease in their flock. The best bet is to get healthy chicks from a hatchery or a feed store where the chicks are not handled by the public. You can treat symptoms of respiratory diseases with certain antibiotics, and MG or coryza may respond to those, but the disease is always there. Chickens with CRD may not reach their potential and not lay well.