possible mycoplasma in 4 week old silkie taking Baytril

[HargroveOutdoors]

Yucatan, Mexico. The vet said no so I called the main lab and they said maybe call the government lab in Mexico City, I've written them but that's too much, nobody does it they said. Does that mean most of the chickens here might carry mycoplasma ?!? Strange!

Sounds like there are probably different testing requirements there.

As to recurring issues: Mycoplasma is a chronic disease. Once a bird has it, they will have it for life. Symptoms may reappear during times of stress. It will spread the disease to other birds it is in contact with. Those birds will in turn become lifetime carriers and may also have recurring issues.

 

[Eggcessive]

MG is not in all backyard flocks, but it can be common. When one gets chicks from a person with MG in their flock, the disease comes with them. It lives about 3 days in the environment, and once all chickens are gone, it is possible to clean and get new chicks that are healthy. In Mexico, I don’t know if you can get some from a hatchery, but that is the best way to get healthy chicks. If neighbors have infected chicks, it can spread. Here are some good articles about MG:
https://extension.umd.edu/sites/ext... Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) Infecti....pdf

https://thepoultrysite.com/disease-...tion-m-g-chronic-respiratory-disease-chickens

http://www.gapoultrylab.org/wp-cont...coplasma handout for Backyard Flocks 4-12.pdf

 

[kuki mom]

MG is not in all backyard flocks, but it can be common. When one gets chicks from a person with MG in their flock, the disease comes with them. It lives about 3 days in the environment, and once all chickens are gone, it is possible to clean and get new chicks that are healthy. In Mexico, I don’t know if you can get some from a hatchery, but that is the best way to get healthy chicks. If neighbors have infected chicks, it can spread. Here are some good articles about MG:
https://extension.umd.edu/sites/extension.umd.edu/files/_docs/programs/poultry/FS-1008 Recognizing and Preventing Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) Infecti....pdf

https://thepoultrysite.com/disease-...tion-m-g-chronic-respiratory-disease-chickens

http://www.gapoultrylab.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Mycoplasma handout for Backyard Flocks 4-12.pdf

Thank you for the links! I'm not interested in getting other chicks, and the 8 of them seem perfectly healthy for now, so my only concern is if the sick one (now much better!) goes back in the flock when he is completely recovered will it make any difference in the future? or not, because they all already have it and are "immune" ? These are pets, I would hate to get rid of one of the siblings not knowing exactly what's wrong with him, but I don't want to risk 8 of them. They were raised together for 4 weeks, now the sick one is in quarantine. Is it 100 percent sure if one of them has MG all have it? or possible some do and some don't ?

 

[kuki mom]

Sounds like there are probably different testing requirements there.

As to recurring issues: Mycoplasma is a chronic disease. Once a bird has it, they will have it for life. Symptoms may reappear during times of stress. It will spread the disease to other birds it is in contact with. Those birds will in turn become lifetime carriers and may also have recurring issues.

Well, these guys are my pets now so I'm just curious, if one of them has it is it 100 percent sure they all have it because they were raised together for 4 weeks? My only concern is whether I should give the sick one back to the breeder once he recovers or put him back with the siblings. (the breeder said sure he'd take him back) I'd hate to separate him from his family but I don't want to jeopardize 8 of them.

 

[HargroveOutdoors]

Well, these guys are my pets now so I'm just curious, if one of them has it is it 100 percent sure they all have it because they were raised together for 4 weeks? My only concern is whether I should give the sick one back to the breeder once he recovers or put him back with the siblings. I'd hate to separate him from his family.

It is likely that if all the birds came from the same breeder they all have it, especially if they have been raised with the sick bird and exposed to the same things it was.

 

[kuki mom]

It is likely that if all the birds came from the same breeder they all have it, especially if they have been raised with the sick bird and exposed to the same things it was.

Then thing is that everything is probable, not sure. The vet doesn't even KNOW if it's Mycoplasma, but he just said there is nothing in the digestive so it probably is.
Still torn about it, but if one of them has weaker immune system probably safest to eliminate from the flock now, even though the symptoms are very mild. Emotional response is to give him a chance and put him back in the family, but since I can't do the test, rational response is to give him up, if I want a stronger and healthier flock in the future. He or she's on Baytril so I think its immune system is compromised already. Very pretty bird, it's very sad. What would you do if you can't get them tested?

 

[kuki mom]

Also, is Mycoplasma spread more easily when the bird has symptoms instead of asymptomatic?

 

[HargroveOutdoors]

Then thing is that everything is probable, not sure. The vet doesn't even KNOW if it's Mycoplasma, but he just said there is nothing in the digestive so it probably is.
Still torn about it, but if one of them has weaker immune system probably safest to eliminate from the flock now, even though the symptoms are very mild. Emotional response is to give him a chance and put him back in the family, but since I can't do the test, rational response is to give him up, if I want a stronger and healthier flock in the future. He or she's on Baytril so I think its immune system is compromised already. Very pretty bird, it's very sad. What would you do if you can't get them tested?

Personally for me after dealing with MS, anything in the future with respiratory problems will be culled. Chickens don't get colds. They get diseases.

 

[kuki mom]

Personally for me after dealing with MS, anything in the future with respiratory problems will be culled. Chickens don't get colds. They get diseases.

Even at slightest gurgling and wheezing, you'd just eliminate correct?

as soon as I saw slightest symptoms I separated the bird and cleaned and sanitized the brooder and none of the others have symptoms so far.

 

[HargroveOutdoors]

Even at slightest gurgling and wheezing, you'd just eliminate correct?

You should evaluate your situation and do what you think is best for your birds. It’s a difficult decision.
Typically in mycoplasma infected flocks the chicks are born with the disease which then takes 10-21 days to develop. In my case, and from the sounds of it likely in yours too, they came from an infected flock so they would have been infected when they were born.