Possible Mycoplasma Gallisepticum

[Betty Jolene]

Hey Folks. I noticed that one of my hens had what looked like "suds" in the corner of her eyes yesterday morning. I looked it up and seems like she could have mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG). I've separated her from the other two hens, though she seems much better today - no more suds or other symptoms. But... in the case that the eye bubbles come back and her face starts to swell or she starts to show other symptoms, is it safe to give her Cephalexin for this potential respiratory infection? Possible that it's just because she is on the tail end of her Autumn molt? I'm so worried and don't have access to any vets that will help with poultry as pets.

 

[Eggcessive]

Cephalexin is not used to treat mycoplasma in chickens. Better antibiotics would be doxycycline, tylosin (tylan,) enrofloxacin, oxytetracycline, and spectinomycin. Several of those can be obtained online at pigeon sites or from a vet. Here is a link about MG:
https://extension.umd.edu/sites/ext... Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) Infecti....pdf

 

[Betty Jolene]

Cephalexin is not used to treat mycoplasma in chickens. Better antibiotics would be doxycycline, tylosin (tylan,) enrofloxacin, oxytetracycline, and spectinomycin. Several of those can be obtained online at pigeon sites or from a vet. Here is a link about MG:
https://extension.umd.edu/sites/extension.umd.edu/files/_docs/programs/poultry/FS-1008 Recognizing and Preventing Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) Infecti....pdf

Thank you for the feedback.

 

[Betty Jolene]

Is it possible that she just had a little cold which caused the bubbles? Once I wiped her eye clean they haven't come back and it's been 3 days. She is eating and drinking and acting totally normal. I did give her some VetRx and now her beak and comb look marvelous.

 

[Eggcessive]

You can hold off treating form MG as long as symptoms don’t return or progress. A diagnosis if MG could only be gotten with testing by a poultry lab or state lab. I had a hen once who had foam in her eyes occasionally, and no other symptoms. I treated her with an antibiotic anyway just in case. She died a few years later, and sometimes had the foamy eyes, and I never knew if she had it or not.

 

[Betty Jolene]

Thank you. This is really so helpful. I can't get her tested where I live without it costing thousands of dollars so I will just monitor her for now and not give her any antibiotics. Thanks for being so responsive.

 

[Eggcessive]

Where are you located? It depends where you live how easy it is to get inexpensive testing. Some state vet labs may help. Zoologix, a California lab, will send you swabs to collect on your chicken, and you would mail those back in. They test for up to 8 different respiratory diseases or just the one you want. It is $80 for the panel. Here is a link:
http://www.zoologix.com/avian/Datasheets/PoultryRespiratoryPanel.htm

 

[Myrshine]

If you think you have a respiratory disease or have had one in the past in your flock, I’d suggest culling one or the sickest one and sending it off to get it tested. Most, if not all respiratory diseases in chickens is incurable and your birds will remain carriers of that disease for life and put others’ flocks in danger. I’d highly recommend culling all infected birds or keep a tight closed flock- no birds in and no birds leaving out of your property.

 

[hannahshatcheryofficial]

Where are you located? It depends where you live how easy it is to get inexpensive testing. Some state vet labs may help. Zoologix, a California lab, will send you swabs to collect on your chicken, and you would mail those back in. They test for up to 8 different respiratory diseases or just the one you want. It is $80 for the panel. Here is a link:
http://www.zoologix.com/avian/Datasheets/PoultryRespiratoryPanel.htm

Is it $80 for just one chicken test?