Should I cull my sick chicken?

[4 Georgia Hens]

For some background, around last winter, I noticed that one of my silkies (she was about a year old) had some bubbles in her eye, and her face was swollen. After some research, I concluded that she was suffering with Mycoplasma gallisepticum. After a little while, the bubbles disappeared and she went back to normal. Fast forward to now, one of my four year old Wyandottes is exhibiting similar symptoms. However, she is much more lethargic and recently has been starting to smell. From my knowledge, MG is really difficult to treat, and I don’t have the funds to take her to a vet. So here’s my actual question: should I cull her? I’m leaning to “yes”, because I hate seeing her suffer, and I’m really growing tired of watching her deteriorate. Also, I was thinking about slimming down my flock, closing it off, and go from there. What are y’all’s thoughts? I’m not entirely certain about what to do.

 

[Waves]

I tag @Eggcessive because is fantastic on this topic!

Can you post a picture of this chicken, please?

 

[Eggcessive]

As you probably know most respiratory diseases in chickens are chronic, and stay with them for life. They may recover from symptoms, but they may never get fully back to normal. They may get sick again during a molt or other period of stress. A bad odor sounds a little more like coryza, or MG that has been complicated by e.coli or other bacteria secondary infection. If you can’t spend money on testing, antibiotics or vets, it might be best to cull sick birds. Your other chickens have been exposed, and could be carrying the disease without ahowing symptoms. Do not sell or give away birds because it will spread the disease to other flocks. I am sorry that you are dealing with this.

 

[4 Georgia Hens]

As you probably know most respiratory diseases in chickens are chronic, and stay with them for life. They may recover from symptoms, but they may never get fully back to normal. They may get sick again during a molt or other period of stress. A bad odor sounds a little more like coryza, or MG that has been complicated by e.coli or other bacteria secondary infection. If you can’t spend money on testing, antibiotics or vets, it might be best to cull sick birds. Your other chickens have been exposed, and could be carrying the disease without ahowing symptoms. Do not sell or give away birds because it will spread the disease to other flocks. I am sorry that you are dealing with this.

Thank you so much for your input. I plan to cull her and some of my roosters tomorrow. I’m keeping a close eye on my other chickens.